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Saturday, March 17, 2012

Uganda in June, Part 2

Ecclesiastes 5:4:  "When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it."

August 17, 2009

Church service was excellent yesterday.  We arrived while they were doing bible study, and we were greeted warmly with a high screech from one of the elder ladies.  The bible study was on us being sinners, and Erika preached about confession.  A Capella worship occurred with a single drum, the villagers danced for us, and guest attendees gave their testimonies.  We introduced ourselves, Erika gave her sermon, tithing happened, and we sang for them.  Pastor Moses had two major prayer requests for us:  to end the famine and stop the spread of AIDS.  I talked to Pastor Moses about the doctor and he mentioned going to visit with him to see where his walk with the Lord stood.  It's all up to God now.  We were given African names at the church.  Mine is Musoga; I am the sister of the screeching elder woman.  I think I touched her when I called them my second family.  Pastor Moses also shared a verse with us:
Colossians 3:1-5:  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

Pastor Moses is going to be sponsored soon, what a blessing!  Below is a photo of Pastor Moses and his wife.



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Tomorrow our mission team meets for the first time; I'm excited to see our dynamic and learn what we will be working on.  So far, all I know is that it will be orphan care and construction.  I did go to the travel clinic this week and got my tetanus and pertussis shots; they also wrote me a prescription for my malaria pills and diarrhea medication (a just in case).  Last trip, pepto-bismol worked fine for any stomach issues that occurred. Do any readers know of any organizations that take unused prescription drugs?  A friend asked me this question, and I wasn't quite sure of an answer.

I definitely need you to continue praying for me and my team members.  I had a couple of incidences yesterday in which I believe the devil could be at work.  Luckily, I know God will come through and I will move forward; everything will work out. I also hope to have an update soon on the support raising.  As I mentioned in my previous post, the trip costs $2,500 to go, and I'm looking for a team stateside to support me through prayer and financial means.  Any support is tax deductible and you can send it online:  http://acfellowship.org/450284.ihtml.  You will need to sign in, if it asks you for which campus, please check "Four Points," and please make sure you put in the memo/notes section that it's for the Uganda mission trip and that you are a part of my team (Michelle Cook).  If you prefer to send a check, please make make it payable to Austin Christian Fellowship with a memo (Michelle Cook - Uganda), and send to the following address:
Austin Christian Fellowship
Missions
6401 River Place Blvd
Austin, TX  78730
Thank you so much for considering this.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Time...

I wish I had more time.  I swear leap year should be a holiday; a holiday to just catch up on unfinished business.  I cannot wait until the summer; maybe I'll relax by then.  I just wish I had more time to cook, clean, and garden.  I miss my garden.

Work:  34 hours per week
School:  10 hours of doctoral classes per week
Homework:  40 hours per week (technically)
Commute Time:  5-7.5 hours per week (depends on traffic)
Total:  89-91.5 hours per week

We have 168 hours per week, and I spend 89 hours between work and school; that leaves 79 hours for sleeping, eating, showering, working out, church, and anything fun.  So if I get six hours of sleep per night, that leaves 19 hours for the remainder of items.  No wonder why I'm stressed out.  No wonder why friends have dropped me.  I do have to say, though, I know who my friends are during this stressful time.  I know who I can rely on for this really crazy year in which I decided to do 10 credit hours each semester so I'm not in school forever and my life can start moving forward.  Five more weeks...just five more weeks and all I have to do is pass.  Okay, maybe I should say six more weeks if you include my qualifying exam.  I'm so glad I'm starting yoga next week; I hear it does wonders in reducing stress.

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Uganda in June, Part 1

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10:  "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up."

August 14, 2009

Amdu was this precious boy that probably met everybody on our team.  He had an active mind, knew English quite well, and was so caring.  I was walking back from the recreation time and he walked by my side and asked if I was okay.  We chatted a little bit.  He met an English guy and a Canadian girl last year who taught in the village.  He wanted to be a doctor.  Kevin met him near the end of the day when Amdu wanted to make sure Kevin was okay after a ball hit him in the face.  When this occurred Kevin took off his glasses, looked at them, and put them back on when he was that they were fine.  Amdu insisted on looking at the spectacles himself and when he deemed them not to be broken, he gave the spectacles back to Kevin.  What an amazing child; already so grown up for his age!

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For those who may not know, about three years ago I was in Uganda with Austin Christian Fellowship; it was their first mission trip to the country.  The experience broke me and built me up in so many ways, that I have been trying to get back ever since.  Unfortunately one thing or another had occurred in which I had not been able to go back, but finally, God has willed it and I am going.  This trip will be slightly different in which we will be doing some orphan care and light construction; as many know, I love getting my hands dirty!  I am asking you to join me in this journey through supporting my trip in a variety of different ways, whatever way you feel called to do.  The trip is from May 31st through June 14th.

1.  Prayer, and lots of it.  I have re-read my journal from 2009 and I have this feeling that God will break me and build me up again.  I will be sharing some of these intimate stories over the next few months.  Pray for me spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  Pray for our team; pray for our travels.  Just pray; God will guide you on the direction of your prayer.
2.  Encouragement.  While prayer is very intimate between you and God, encouragement helps me focus and grow in faith, something I sometimes lack.  I will waiver and doubt at times, and that is when I review the Ecclesiastes verse above.
3.  The trip costs $2,500 to go, and I'm looking for a team stateside to support me through prayer and financial means if you feel it in your heart to help support my trip financially.  Any and all support is tax deductible and you can send it online:  http://acfellowship.org/450284.ihtml.  Any support is tax deductible and you can send it online: http://acfellowship.org/450284.ihtml. You will need to sign in, if it asks you for which campus, please check "Four Points," and please make sure you put in the memo/notes section that it's for the Uganda mission trip and that you are a part of my team (Michelle Cook). If you prefer to send a check, please make make it payable to Austin Christian Fellowship with a memo (Michelle Cook - Uganda), and send to the following address:

Austin Christian Fellowship
Missions
6401 River Place Blvd
Austin, TX 78730
I want to thank you for considering the above requests, and I will keep my blog updated as I move forward in going back to the country that I had fallen in love with three years ago.  Below is a picture of a Ugandan market that we passed one day while traveling to the villages.