The Move/Saying Goodbye

So much to catch up on. Several posts to come!

So grateful for all the love and support that I have had in the past month.  When I left my job, I made my rounds to see my grandmother, mamaw, brothers, and friends. I don't like saying goodbye and knowing I would be missing important things when I left made it hard to do. Finally got all the donations and my things packed up. Drove back to mobile to fly out.

When we landed it was such a relief feeling. Hard to explain but, I was finally in my new home country. My new family and new sonrise family welcomed me with open arms. After a week and a half in Uganda with my team, parents, sister, and best friend, I had to say good bye to them too. I was reminded by a friend in the states to not be afraid to live this verse out.

Matthew 12:46-50
46,While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48,But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49,And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50,For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Great encouragement. So thankful.

I have been married for almost a week now, CRAZY! I am so incredibly blessed to be married to Ivan and look forward to the years to come. We are now in our new house and I am in the process of getting it set up and unpacking myself. It's a beautiful home and much more than I expected. Ivan did good (:

Now to learn how to cook, clean, and wash Ugandan style. Right now Ivan and the night guard are getting some American style meals for dinner (while the supplies last). Our 2nd day in the home, Ivan asked Maureen to come help me unpack/clean so I could cook dinner for my family that night. So thankful for her help! My house would have been a wreck without her. Was able to cook breakfast for dinner (easy 1st meal). Eggs, Homemade Biscuits, Sausage Gravy, Muffins, and Fresh Juice! Learning how to use the oven was difficult but I finally figured it out and everything turned out great! Last night I made Potatoes, Left over Biscuits, and Stir Fry Veggies. 

Mr. Cluckers (the chicken we were given as a wedding gift) watches me through the kitchen door window as I cook and clean every day. If I am not careful and I leave my front door open, I will find him in my living room. (: Trying not to get attached to him but it's so hard! He is my new friend . The goat we were given is with a lady who is taking care of all the Sonrise goat because we don't have much grass for him to eat here at the house.

Must also start learning the languages so I can communicate better! Right now, I am enjoying the babies, girls, and children.

God is good!

From Daniel at the Mirembe Girls Home: 

Your prayers worked, Brenda is back home from the hospital and she can now smile again, God is so good.

 

 Please take a few seconds and pray to God to provide a VAN for Mirembe Girls Home so that the girls can get a ride to and from school and this will help us avoid such accidents like the one that almost took Brenda's life.

 Watch their facebook page for any updates. (: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mirembe-Cottage-of-Street-girls/304017426321574

Prayers and Praise

 

           Let me start by saying that your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for me and Sonrise ministries in the past few months.  I hear of people raising money and donating for new mosquito nets, sun dresses, shoes, clothes, formula, etc. It makes me so happy when I hear of your joining me in this amazing opportunity and ministry.

            I ask that you please pray with me as I continue to prepare to leave my home here in the states to start a new home and life with the Sonrise ministries in Uganda.

-Prayer Needs -

*Financial needs are met to pay bills/student loans off before I leave

*Needing Monthly Supporters while I am there. Will need about $1,200 a month for rent/ministries/living/etc..

*Must get shots/boosters/medical supplies before I leave

*Need to find a buyer for my car in June ('02 Honda Civic)

*Taking a team of 22 people with me, at the end of June, for a couple weeks. Pray for the team as they prepare to minister to the people of Masese and Jinja.

*Move June 29th, only 3 1/2 months away. It's sneaking up fast!!!

*Getting married July 6th, wedding preparations!

*Some ladies in Angoltok are afraid to become Christians because their husbands will beat them. Pray for them.

 

*Pray for Brenda at Mirembe Girls Home. She was hit by a motorcycle on her way to school today. Was unconscious for about 2 hours. She is in a hospital right now being treated.  She is scared.

-Praise Reports -

*Team went into new village (Angoltok) and over 100 came to know the Lord through the Jesus Film and Hut to Hut evangelism!

 

* They were able to build new huts and fix a well to give them cleaner water to drink from.

 

* New Nursery School has begun in Angoltok!

 

*For the Financial and Item donations.

*My parents and my older sister are now going with me to Uganda for a couple weeks and will be there for my wedding!

 

 

 

Thank you all for the sweet letters of encouragment! I love hearing from you!

 

 

 

                                                            

Move Update

Let me just start off by saying , God is Amazing! I was invited this past weekend to go back to my home church at Westside for the GIC (Global Impact Celebration) and speak along the side of 50 other missionaries. In those 2 days, I was able to meet, share stories, and get advice from the missionaries. I also have the opportunity to share with some ladies at breakfast, children, youth, college students, and a few sunday school classes about the ministry that I will soon be working with. Everyone asked me some of the same questions:

 

1. What do I need to get started  

2. What do the homes need 

3. Can I get them a list of the needs and prices so they can help
4. Prayer requests

 

I told them I would create a list and post it for them. Here is the list of everything that I can think of right now. I have also attached my amazon wish list that has some of my items that I need on it that I hope to purchase before I go and take them with me.  http://amzn.com/w/3MAMC6AXSJ5M

 

My Needs:

Royal Berkey Water Filter - $370

Berkey Shower Filter - $32

Screening (to put up in my windows of my home to keep the mosquitoes out) - $100

Tape Measure

Staple Gun

Washer and Dryer - $1,000

Microwave - $200

Converters

Refrigerator - $500

Stove - $400

Vehicle (4 wheel drive)

Bed with mattress - $200

Fans (3) - $30 ea.

Couch

First Aid Kit
 

Baby Home Needs: (ages newborn - early 3)

Twin Size Sheets (30+)

Formula

Diapers

Sippy Cups

Mosquito Nets (30+) - $10ea.

Washer and Dryer - $1,000 (They wash all day long by hand)

Flip Flops/Shoes
 

Children's Home Needs: (ages late 3-9)

Twin Size Sheets (30+)

Mosquito Nets (30+) - $10ea.

Clothes 3-8years old

Coloring books

Crayons

Soccer Balls w/pumps

Washer and Dryer - $1,000

Flip Flops/Shoes

Books
 

Girls Home Needs: (ages 5-15)

Twin Size Sheets

Mosquito Nets (30) - $10 ea.

Clothes 6-14 years old (skinny kids)

Construction Paper

Writing Paper

Pencils, Coloring Pencil, Markers

Washer and Dryer - $1,000

Flip Flops/Shoes

Books
 

Medical Needs:

Tylenol

Baby Tylenol

Safety Pins

Needles

Gauze

Bandaids

First Aid Cream

Anti Bacterial Soap

Alcohol Wipes
 

Sonrise Church Needs:

Plastic Chairs ($20)

Tent 30x40 - $2,000 (Church stands by 4 sticks and a tarp. They have outgrown and need something larger and stronger)

Bibles
 

Village Needs:

Money for Seeds, School Supplies, Bibles, Building Supplies, Shoes, and Medications.

 

Prayer:

*For Sonrise Ministry as they continue to minister to the children and the community.

*A village, Angoltok, as a team goes to them in a few weeks to start sharing the gospel with them.

*For my family as they trust the Lord with my life and ministry.

*Please keep me in your prayers as I take these next few months to prepare financially, mentally, physically, and spiritually to move to my new home, Uganda.  

 

 

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation you can go to:

www.sonriseministriesinc.com - donations, then put my name in the notes and if it is for anything in particular, write that down too.

 

If you would rather make a donation directly to me, click the paypal link on the right.

 

 

Thank you to everyone for all the prayers and support I have already received. You are all a huge part of this journey already!

 "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."                          - Matthew 28:19-20

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth." - Acts 1:8

 

 

Sonrise Ministries

If you haven't given to a great cause yet, let me tell you about an Urgent need we have at Sonrise Children's Home and the Mirembe Girls Home in Uganda.

.......

Damali Wattier Manyindo has rescued and taken in about 10 new babies over the past couple of weeks. Praise be to God! To make room for all the new additions, she needs to move some of the older toddlers over to Ivan Mukulu at the Children's Home.

They need to purchase some more bunk beds, mattresses and bedding to provide for the new little ones.  The total cost is about $400. She is also in need of formula for the new babies.This is where you come in. If you would like to help out ($5, $10, $20, $50, $100), please go here http://sonrisebabies.com/donate/ and choose to make a one time gift. No amount is too small and your gift is 100% tax deductible. Don't forget to put in the message box that it is to be used to purchase beds. 

......

One of the girls at the Mirembe Girls Home, Monday, has exceded what we had expected for her medical bills as a result of the surgery for her lame leg (from Polio as a child). The surgery straighted it, but it is taking a long time to heal (she still as the pins in her leg), and she may require another surgery. The gas to take her daily into town to have the bandages changed, as well as trips back and forth to the hospital 3 hours away, and medication has been more than anticipated.  Mugoda Awali Daniel had to use some money he had put aside for the girls' first Christmas at the house toward those expenses.

Would you consider helping Daniel out with the expenses or blessing the girls for a special Christmas?  Please go here http://sonrisebabies.com/donate/ and choose to make a one time gift. No amount is too small and your gift is 100% tax deductible. Don't forget to put in the message box that it is to be used for the Mirembe Girls (christmas or needs).

                                                     (There are several missing from this picture)

 

Blown Away!

Can I just say how blessed and blown away we are will all the support we have received from everyone for the trip! We are all allowed to take 3-50lb bags with us on the plane from ATL to Uganda for FREE! But, the flight from Pensacola to ATL was going to cost us about $100 a person to get all that luggage there. Through some great friends and friends of friends the money that we needed for that short flight for all of us came in! God is great! In each of those bags we have collected donations for the Sonrise Baby and Children's Homes, the workers, and the surrounding villages to take with us. Items like: Formula, Diaper, Toys, Blankets, Hats, Shoes, Soaps, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, bottles, Water hoses, etc... Our stuff that we need will be in our carry ons. We still have items coming in! THANK YOU to EVERYONE who has supported us and the Sonrise Ministry! Thank you for the prayers and continue to keep us and everyone we come in contact with in your prayers!

We Will Go

I heard this song the other day and it has quickly become one of my favorites. Mandi Mapes wrote this last year...

Lonely lay a little baby crying for her fathers arms
Sunlight seems to be fading as the smoke rises from the war
Woman thirsting for water watching as her life slips away
Men come falling on their faces praying to a god who cannot save


So we will go, to the end of the world
Bringing good news to the broken and the poor
There is hope, for all who are thirsty
To come to the well and drink of his mercy

The Devil Comes to kill and ruin, But our life is hidden in the Son
So we'll raise our banner cause the wars not over, but it's already won
For He came and died to save and rose up from the grave the King of Kings
So we'll raise our voices, full of truth and justice and let them ring


So we will go, to the end of the world
Bringing good news to the broken and the poor
There is hope, for all who are thirsty
To come to the well and drink of his mercy

All who call upon the Lord will be saved
But how can they call when they don't believe
And how will the believe when they've never heard
And how will they hear unless someone tells them
And how can they tell them if they're never sent?

So we will go, to the end of the world
Bringing good news to the broken and the poor
There is hope, for all who are thirsty
To come to the well and drink of his mercy

It's all for your glory God

For me, that last verse says it all. It's from Romans 10:13-15. Like I said in a previous blog, We are put here on this earth to Love, Serve, and Obey God. God has called us as Christians to Serve Him. We are to go to the ends of the world. To serve in the states and out. Those who go, need senders (prayerfully and financially). Everyone plays a vital part! Without the senders, we can't go. If we can't go, then how will they hear? The Bible says that God will not come back until everyone has heard. It is our job to spread God's word to the ends of the world. Go and Send!