We're In Uganda Now--February 1st Journal Entry

We arrived in Entebbe and disembarked the KLM jet down a ramp of stairs onto the tarmac. Photos of the airport were not permitted, but I was dying to take one. It was evident that the Queen of England had visited just last month. The airport had been freshened up and posters promoting the visit were all over. We waited to get our entrance VISA validated and to pick up our luggage. There were 12 of us each with two pieces of checked luggage, and each with two carry-on pieces. That's a lot of luggage!

We walked out of the airport terminal and met our host, Pastor Ephraim Tumusiime. He is a slight man with glasses and a wide grin. He hugged us all as if we were all old friends. We then made our way out to the vans. While the terminal had been lit, the moment we walked out of the terminal into the parking lot it became pitch black. No overhead lights and no walkway lights at all. Just black. Our luggage filled one van and the people filled the other. And off we went on the 27 kilometer drive to Kampala.

The air was heavy. I was glad I was seated next to an (open) window in the van. We were crammed in the van like sardines. The road was very bumpy and not well paved. We passed by rows and rows of "shops" which were little more than small kiosks, sometimes just a blanket or two spread out on the ground. I was surprised by all the beauty parlors and barber shops. Though it was 11 pm I was amazed at the sheer number of people present in the streets. There were pedestrians everywhere, hundreds of mopeds/motorcycles and hundreds of "taxi" vans--each driving within inches of one another. The air in the city was filled with a combination of dust, diesel fumes, kerosene fumes and smoke from burning garbage piles. It was stifling and lingered everywhere we went.

We arrived at the Guest House where we would be staying. Only the entrance was lit by a small, fluorescent lamp. The door to the Guest House compound was locked. Our rooms, which we found by flashlight were stark. Mine had a small entry way with a bathroom and a larger bedroom portion. The floors were concrete and the only working light fixture was in the bedroom. Two single beds were placed underneath mosquito nets hung from the ceiling. The room was warm and stuffy and remained that way because we couldn't open the windows because of all the mosquitos.

I spent my first night in Uganda sleeping in my underwear on top of the bed, underneath a mosquito net. At 5 am the next morning I was awakened by the sound of the Muslim "call to prayer" which was being hailed outside.

She's A Her Birthday Too! January 31st, 2008

The night before my departure--actually the day before--was filled with chores and checklists. Once I was packed I figured I could spend the rest of the evening on the last-minute details. Bt that day was also Cindy's birthday, and though we had earlier agreed we would celebrate when I returned, I had no idea that perhaps she would want to go dinner--a simple acknowledgment of her day, just before I left. That, however was not the first thing on my mind--though admittedly, it should have been. By the way, that new Panda Bear Express restaurant is pretty good!

A 2 1/2 hour drive to SeaTac Airport, check in and then a brief visit with Cindy was the order of the day. The Northwest Airlines flight to Amsterdam took all of it scheduled 9 1/2 hours, but it was quite relaxed and pleasant. Nothing to do really, for the next several hours but relax, eat, snooze and watch a few movies.

We arrived in Amsterdam at 7:15 am local time. My traveling partners, Barbie and Mariah Morrison and I spent some of the time in the layover repacking our carryon and then waited for the team from Princeton, Illinois to arrive. We would be departing together on our next KLM flight to Entebbe, Uganda.

After a few hours we met our fellow team members at our new gate of depature. We exchanged hello's and names. there were 8 team members added to our 3. Many of the Princeton team members had previously traveled to Uganda. Only 3 members were--as I was--new to this experience. We had a lot to see and to learn.

PRAYER CARD #14

Steve called 3o minutes after they arrived in Amsterdam. It was already February 14 there (5:2o am) so he wished me a Happy Valentine's Day!
They have about 8 hours in Amsterdam and perhaps all 8 will be spent in the airport. They leave Amsterdam at 1:15 pm and arrive at Sea-Tac at 2:35 pm. Does that mean it's only a 1 hour, 20 minute flight?

PRAYER CARD #13

The team is scheduled to catch the plane in Entebbe and start the journey back home through Amsterdam.
Did you know that Entebbe is practically on the equator? It's not even one degree north of it! According to the encyclopedia, Entebbe is o degrees, 4 minutes north of the equator, and according to my calculations, that's just 3.5 miles. Sweet.

PRAYER CARD #12

This is not the same school where the white man danced. Let's pray for this school and for these children as well.

Riiiiing!

The students were working quietly when the phone rang in class this time, so I put Steve on speaker phone and the kids yelled their greetings.

Steve was calling from headwaters of the Nile at Lake Victoria. Cool. He even got a picture of him and Moses in the Nile. Among the reeds? In basket? This I want to see! (Moses, as it turns out, is one of the Ugandan pastors traveling with the team.)

It was about 8:3o pm for Steve, and the team had another couple of hours before arriving in Kampala. He sounded as if he was having a wonderful time!

Tomorrow will be spent in Kampala, where he may do some shopping. Steve loves to shop!

He says that his next phone call may be from the airport in Entebbe.

~Cindy

PRAYER CARD #11

Maybe they didn't know what they were doing on Monday when they put this prayer card together. Now we know that the team will have opportunities to climb a mountain or go shopping before loading up for the 6-hour ride back to Kampala. Along the way, they plan to stop at the headwaters of the Nile and visit a church. Please pray for refreshment and safety.

SUNDAY NIGHT IN MBALE

I got to chat with Steve online again today. It was midnight in Mbale; therefore, it was 11:oo am here in Washington. He had just gotten in from the evening crusade and I'm thankful that he was able to log on before heading to his hotel room.

The itinerary I was given had the team leaving Mbale after church Sunday morning, but they've stayed on and had another crusade meeting. And I learned where "Nowhere" is. It's pretty sobering. The crusade meetings have been held in Rongoro, outside Mbale. "Rongoro" means "wrong way" and was the site of much of the slughtering done by Idi Amin. If you, like I, remember the dictatorship of Idi Amin, you'll recall that he was know as the "Butcher of Africa." In this place where much killing was done, the good news of eternal life is being shared. That's awesome.

This morning the team was divided into four groups, each visiting a different church. Steve, and the other team members with him, arrived at church already in progress. The two other team members were invited to share their testimonies and after the choir sang, Steve was invited to preach. He shared for an hour regarding Ephesians 4. I looked it up and Ephesians 4 speaks of unity in the body of Christ and living as children of light. I want to hear this one in its full version!

Steve described the church service as "AWESOME." He said that there were about 80 people with plenty of singing and dancing. Afterwards he and the other team members were invited to the pastor's home to eat. Steve said that their hosts carried their backpacks, seated them, gave them soda pop and put on Christian music tv. He said that just one person ate with them; the others waited in the other room until they were all done. He said that it is very humbling to be there.

Tomorrow team members are going to hike a mountain or go shopping. Steve thinks he will stay at the hotel, sleep as late as possible, and write in his journal. He's ready for some quiet time alone before the 6-hour ride back to Kampala.

Thanks for reading.
~Cindy

PRAYER CARD #10

ACTIVITIES OF A SATURDAY NIGHT

Steve contacted me through the internet this morning! He arrived at a different hotel in Mbale and as there was internet access, he hit it right away. We chatted on msn for about half an hour. This hotel, he says, offers wooden floors, hot water and electricity (it went off just once). He was so happy!

Saturday the team helped out again at the AIDS clinic, and afterwards they drove 45 minutes out to "Nowhere" for the crusade. Steve was pumped about the crusade, saying people (children, old people, women) walked 5-10 miles to attend, and then in the pitch black night would walk the 5-10 miles back home (sans flashlights). Steve described the crusade as an outdoor event on a raised wooden platform with speakers and a generator. He said that the music was provided by a keyboard with an electronic drum beat, and they danced for hours!

As the team returned to Mbale they were invited to speak on the radio so Steve got to go live in Uganda. How cool. At the AIDS clinic Steve was asked to talk on "spiritual health" and after the crusade was invited to preach at church tomorrow. How wonderful!

On Monday the team will return to Kampala, but only after taking in some mountain climbing, visiting the source of the Nile and stopping in on another church. I look forward to hearing how all that goes.

~Cindy

PRAYER CARD #9

FRIDAY NIGHT IN SOUTHEAST UGANDA

I received a call early this morning -- it was a little before my alarm goes off at 6:00 am, making it Friday evening in Uganda. All I got was, "Cindy? Cindy? I'm out in the middle of nowhere."
Then nothing.
Then dial tone.
What is one to make of that? I don't know about other people, but to be awakened by a ringing phone is a shock to my system. I'm jarred out of sleep, hear that Steve is "nowhere," and then nothing. It was a good thing that his tone was calm, conveying much more than that short report.
A few minutes later the phone rang again. Steve explained that he had run out of minutes -- that's all.
So what is he up to in Mbale?
I know that the team is staying in hotels in Mbale. I googled it and it looks like a big city to me. There was not enough room in the reserved hotel so the men are staying down the road in another one -- one without electricity and without hot water. At least there is water, Steve said, and he got to take an ice-cold shower in the morning.
During the day, the team did AIDS testing. I think that was done in Mbale, though I'm not positive. "Nowhere," as Steve called it, is about 20-25 miles outside Mbale and that is where they are holding evening crusades. When I was a teen, I attended a Billy Graham crusade in California and I know not all crusades are held in stadiums with loud speakers and massive choirs. (Yet the good news of God's love and redemption through his son, Jesus, is always shared!) Steve described their meeting place as a wooden structure with bamboo walls and at 5:oo pm it was packed with people. Where they came from was a mystery to Steve as on the drive to "Nowhere," all he saw was a hut here and there -- no evidence of a populated area.
Steve told me that Pastors Ephraim, Martin and Moses were in attendance and that he was very excited about what was going on. I'm so glad that Steve can be there, and I look forward to our next (short) phone call to hear more!
~Cindy

PRAYER CARD #8

PRAYER CARD #7

Please pray for safety as the team travels to Mbale. Along the way they will stop and minister at a church.

WEDNESDAY AT SCHOOL

At 6:30 this morning Steve gave me a call (it was 5:3o pm in Uganda). He said that a good rain storm cut through the area, cooling him down and making him feel more at home! He sounded well-rested and strong.

During the day the team got to spend time at a school visiting with the children. Steve had fun! The children greeted the team with songs and dancing, so Steve returned the favor when asked to greet the children on behalf of our local church, New Horizons. During lunch then, the children entreated him, "White man, white man! Dance!" (If you know Steve well, you may imagine!) He had fun!

After an evening of rest and a good night's sleep, the team will take a 6-hour drive from Kampala to Mbale where they will work in an AID's clinic and hold evening crusades for the next couple of days.

PRAYER CARD #6

FROM STEVE

Hello from Uganda!

It is now Monday night here, approximately 10 pm. We had a full day of working at the Kampala Church. The Kampala church is the main church in the dove ministry of churches (44 in all). But don't think that the building is a glamorous structure with stained glass or any sort of large altars and carpeting.

The main church is really a structure made of wood and is lined with papyrus reeds. while it has windows, there is no glass and the structure is a bare concrete floor with wooden pews. The Ugandan people spend hours (not an hour and a half) in services.; these services consist of a time of worship (a long time) which includes music by piano, drums and loud, loud voices. Lots of dancing and jumping are an integral part of the worship time.

After a time of testimony, in which people are invited to come forward and "share the good things God has done for you"--and many people do, then the preaching begins. Sometimes there are two messages.

Today, Monday, some of us worked forming the foundation for the new Kampala church which this time will be a building of brick and mortar. Like all other days, it is very humid and though it was not that warm, it was very, very sticky. Others of us spent the time in the Kampala church clinic. The clinic consists of a very small entry way and a space about 6x6 for the physician to see the patients. Most of the cases we saw today were for congestion, eye irritation, open sores and wounds, sexually transmitted diseases and fever.

The Ugandan people are very patient and were very thankful for anything they received.

Once again, traveling through the streets of the city is an adventure. The streets are very crowded with cars, mopeds and pedestrians. The pollution in the city is terrible, it is very dusty and the air is filled with burnt diesel. The combination is stifling.

Still, the people more than make up for the inconveniences. For the past few days we have had no water during the day--i get up at 5 am to take a "shower" which consists of a trickle coming from the faucet. The room is a square, barefloor concrete room with a door to the bathroom and one to the outside.

The food is largely boiled potatoes, beans, bread and some form of meat.

While I am very tired, it was very rewarding working and serving the Ugandan people who are plagued with destitute surroundings, yet have a joyful heart.

Steve

PRAYER CARD #5

Here are pictures from our home as Steve and the girls packed donated medicines.
These are just some of the meds being distributed in Uganda.

PRAYER CARD #4

Monday Steve will be working in a medical clinic while others pour cement and do other work on the church facility.

SUNDAY report

Steve called at 9:oo pm Sunday evening, which is 8:oo am Monday for him.

This morning Steve had the privilege of preaching in a Ugandan church. He described the church building as a simple room with glassless windows, hard pews and people who stayed for hours. He spoke through an interpreter, a sentence at a time, and said that he was humbled as the people cheered and applauded. (I don't think they were Lutherans. lol)

Steve said that his accommodations are quite like camping -- cold showers if the water runs, limited electricity and interesting food. I've never known Steve to be an avid camper, but I know he can handle it! He said that there are many noises during the night, including the 5:oo am call to worship of the Muslims. Dogs barking and chickens doing whatever chickens do add to the sounds of the night. We can pray that Steve gets refreshing sleep. (He also said that he feels like he's catching a cold, so we can pray regarding that too.)

To get water, Steve was up Monday morning at 5:oo collecting it in 5-gallon containers (for flushing the toilet). After that he couldn't fall back to sleep so he watched a couple of episodes of The Office on his iPod. (Just imagine.)

Sunday Steve delivered a gift of money to the church (to help with the building project) and Monday he will be able to deliver medicines at the clinic. Thank you to all who filled two and a half suitcases with pain relievers, anti-bacteria ointments, and other meds for the people of Uganda. They made it there safely and we can pray that they go to good use.

~Cindy

PRAYER CARD #3

For those who are praying for Steve and the team, we are posting cards each day to let you know their scheduled activities.

SATURDAY NIGHT

It was 11:3o pm in Kampala, Uganda, and Steve had eight minutes of phone time. He sounded like Steve with his first question being, "How are you and the girls?" (We're fine.)

Today they went to Prayer Mountain, which is a mountain where people go to . . . uh, pray. He said the ride there was a little wild as they were crowded into a warm and humid van that drove on the left of a road with no lights, no stop signs and plenty of chaos.

Two words Steve used to descibe Kampala were "crowded" and "smelly." (He thinks it's the smell of garbage burning.) He also said that at night it was dark -- I-can't-see-my-hand-in-front-of-my-face dark. His room has electricity but the bathroom does not so he is glad he packed flashlights. He also said that when he took a shower in the morning there was no hot water, and now there was no water whatsoever. We can pray that the water gets flowing soon.

Tomorrow Steve gets to preach at a church outside Kampala. He was told that he has no time limit as the people are not eager to go anywhere. (Wouldn't our pastors love to hear that? Instead, tomorrow they compete with Super Bowl festivities!) His topic tomorrow is the Exodus and Moses leading the people through the Red Sea. It's about escaping enemies, escaping the past, and having our enemies swallowed up as the Egyptian army was swallowed by the waters of the sea. I want to hear that message in its full version!

Steve says he has a number of phone cards and will try to call each day. Who knows when he'll have access to the internet?

~Cindy

PRAYER CARD #2

For those who are praying for Steve and the whole team, we are posting cards each day to let you know their scheduled activities.

PRAYER CARD #1

For those who are praying for Steve and the whole team, we are posting cards each day to let you know their scheduled activities.

ON THE GROUND

Steve and team have arrived in Uganda!

I'm so glad that my 9th graders were working on projects in class and hardly noticed that my cell phone rang.

It seemed like a short conversation and as I check the "Call History" it was short -- just 1 minute and 6 seconds in duration. Steve called to let us know that everyone has arrived safely in Kampala. They flew into Entebbe and then traveled another 30 km to Kampala and everyone and every suitcase made it safely. An answer to prayer!

Steve reports that everyone is getting settled in their new digs after 24 hours of traveling. :) Let's see, I got the call about 1:15 pm in Kelso, so that's just after midnight in Uganda. I hope he sleeps well.

~ Cindy

IN AMSTERDAM

Yeah! It's almost 11:oo pm here in Washington, and I just got a call from Steve. He's arrived safely in Amsterdam and says that the first leg of his trip went well! He said the flight went excellently -- he watched a few movies ("Cars," "Casa Blanca," "Pocahotas"), and in his words, "They fed us like pigs." He sounded wonderful. It's about 8:oo am in Amsterdam and they (Steve, Barbie and Mariah) have yet to hook up with the team from Illinois. Their flight from Amsterdam to Entebbe doesn't leave for a few hours.

It was great to hear his chipper voice! I thank God for getting Steve off to a wonderful start!

~Cindy

Over The Mountains And The Seas

As the popular song verse goes, "Over the mountains and the seas, Your river runs with love for me," so it seems appropriate as we depart Seattle today for Amsterdam and then to Kampala, Uganda.

The exciting part of today is we get to finally meet up with the rest of our team traveling from Princeton, Illinois. We'll be meeting them in Amsterdam during our layover and then together fly to Kamapala.

I've done all the work I could do at home to leave enough money for the family, pay all the bills I could pay, and leave my business prepared to do without me for 2 weeks (actually 9 business days, but who's counting?).

After much anticipation and planning the day has arrived and I am ready. Ready to meet whatever God has in store for me.

The Perfect Time To Go!

I am humbled and moved by the response from our congregation at New Horizons Church in Kelso! Just last week they were invited to participate in the mission to Uganda in two ways: contribute over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, other fever reducers and ointments like neo-sporin; and to contribute to the building of a new church in Kampala.

My goal was to fill up a basket of medicines and to our pastor had set a goal to cover half of the $5,000 cost for the church. Incredibly, we filled up 2 suitcases full of medicines and raised $3,000 towards the building. What a blessing these will be to the Ugandan people.

We are seldom met with the type of scarcity that they face on a daily basis. And to make matters worse, the continued civil unrest in neighboring Kenya has exacerbated an already tenous situation. The resulting ripple effect in Uganda are greater food shortages, thousands of refugees from Kenya, increased fuel prices and the limited use of electricity--down to just a couple hours a day.

So on one hand we see the blessing of God in the form of supply, prayer and support from the local congregation in Kelso, and on the other hand we see the form of destitution that seems unrelenting and miserable. But I see God's hand in both of these situations.

God has the ability to show Himself as Lord in dire circumstances as well as in blessed events. We just need to quiet ourselves enough to see what He has planned, and to remain open and obedient to do His will--no matter what the reason or purpose.

That's why it's the perfect time to go to Uganda.

We leave in less than 40 hours.

GABE MAKES GUAC

Subject: Guacamole party

Hi family and friends, and greetings from Africa again. I thank you all for your encouragement and replies to my updates, I appreciate them. Unfortunately the war in Kenya has affected many things including the electricity, and we have only a few hours of it during the day, so I am unable to reply to all of my emails. Thanks for the patience.

Ok...I will try not to make this too long. The work is going great, and Martin's school is really coming together. The doors are installed, the rooms are being painted, the concrete floors are being poured, and the desks that I've been building are all put together! This is great news because after a coat of varnish, I will be able to move on to extra projects and speed things along more than expected. I've also been able to share about my faith with some co-workers, and I can tell they are thinking about their own beliefs.

On a funnier note, I opened Martin's eyes to the wonders of homemade Mexican salsa and Guacamole and now he forces me to make it every night haha. We had our friend Godfrey over, and when he tried Guacamole for the first time, he looked at me and said, God Bless You! He then proceeded to shovel it in straight (with his spoon), ignoring the chapati (flatbread) we had made.

Thanks for all your prayers, sorry this got long again, but I appreciate your support,

God Bless,-Gabe

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. -Job 19:25

FROM GABE

Gabe Kirkwood is one of the team members from Longview, WA, and he left for Uganda January 8. Here is his first email:

Hi one and all! I have arrived safely in Arua, and gotten my money exchanged, and hence the name of this email. The exchange rate is about 1700 Ugandan schillings per US dollar. So, if any of you want to be millionaires, just come to Uganda. I can now say that I know what it feels like to be carrying around a million dollars (uh...schillings rather), hahaha. (now I also know what goat meat tastes like, and how if feels to weave through traffic at unreasonable speeds on the back of a motorcycle)

The poverty here is shocking, and it is hard to know how best to help. I was taken to my friend Godfrey's house yesterday, and the ceiling was barely high enough for me to stand at full height under and the room barely seated 4 people. However he sat me down and offered to buy me a Coke (and would not take no for an answer). I was humbled by his generosity.

The people on the street are very solemn, and don't seem to have much joy. It's understandable when you consider that a large percentage of them have seen multiple genocides and grinding poverty. Despite this we went to church today, and I can't remember ever seeing a group of people more energetic and excited in ther worship, it was a blast to be with them.

Me and Martin start construction on his Nursery/School tomorrow, and he hopes to launch in February. You can pray that his work is well accepted by the Muslims in the area, and for my health, safety, wisdom, and effectiveness.

Take care one and all,

-Gabe

(PS: so far I have seen 1 other white person in the entire city, excluding the YWAMers at church this morning, hahaha. I look like such a tourist with my camera and water bottle, but like I always say, when worse comes to worst it's better to look like a fool than a threat)

"Open up our eyes so blind, that we might find the mercy for the need" -Hillsong United

ON THE MOVE

On Thursday, January 31, 2oo8, Steve will leave for Uganda, Africa, for a two-week mission trip. Check in here for regular updates from Steve and his wife, Cindy.


Please check out the site for DOVE Uganda Children's Fund: http://www.doveugandachildrensfund.org/
By going there and clinking the link, About Us, you can find out more about the history and ministry of DOVE Uganda Children's Fund.