Uganda trip 07

2008-09-24T05:52:00.001-07:00

Pic #2

2008-09-24T05:41:00.001-07:00

This is a picture (for Jan in Africa) of our newly tiled porch.

2007-07-05T05:53:00.000-07:00

July 4th has j.ust past and I was thinking how fast another year went by. It was a full year. Not much news to report about the progress on our project but that the conference center was under about 6 feet of water. It happened 10 years ago and when I heard that I was wondering about it's repeat occurance and what a waste it would be if it ruined all the work they are putting into this place. They are looking into options for damns and such that would keep this from happening again and since it was only brick and cement no harm was done to the current state that the building is in. I have a pic of the center courtyard and will post it.
The Lord has done a few "cool" things as of late and I would like to share them here. One may seem insignificant, but it meant a lot to me. I was driving home from work and the traffic was really heavy and so I got off at an exit I would of not normally taken (to avoid a ramp back up) only to go past the very place I was needing to go to get a permit, but had forgotten all about! The other is getting a permit from the city of MPLS for a duplex that a ministry is trying to get going..the inspector had been less than helpful and I had wasted coutless hours trying to get what he was asking for and went we finally went for the permit that particular inspector was on vacation and the man who took us through the process was very nice and we walked out with a permit in 2 hours...really truely a miracle and a big blessing! Well all for now.
Tom

2007-05-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday the 27th of May and we've been gone from our beloved Africa for almost as long as our visit. I am praying up front in the service today, how different life is here in the US to our adopted home in Uganda. It makes me pause and think about what the Lord has brought us through and used to bring us to the point were at right now and I just want to say thank you Jesus!
Well, enough nostalgia!
Work on the buildings progresses and I have new pics to share with you. Mike Schrage one of the main guys at GNPI should be in Mbale today or tomarrow and I will look forward to hear what he thinks of the building progress.
Not too much other news...I'll try to pump some of the missionaries in Mbale for any new developments, but I'm sure it's life as usual...slow and steady.
Blessings,
Tom

2007-05-21T05:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Again,
Time for another post because I have some new pics of the building to update you all.
Building has continued and the folks who will run the Media center will arrive in June I think.
So here is a picture of the rear...I will get the front soon I hope.
Blessings and enjoy,
Tom

2007-05-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Not sure anyone reads this any more and I can't blame anyone, but myself for not posting more. Yet I have had little new and no pictures from the field on the progress of the buildings. I have heard they got the floors done, but the non Christian contractors we hired didn't want to follow through and fix some of their mistakes. Doesn't surprise me much because as my job was quality control I saw that the finishing details eluded most of my African brothers and less if they didn't know Christ. I wish I could of been there. No pics of the Father/Daughter tea yet either, but will post a picture when it arrives. Take care, all for now. Tom

2007-04-27T03:57:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and so are the construction projects.
I have been busy with work these days which is a good thing. We really need to add dollars to our bank account as taking 4 months off was draining it. But God is faithful and has provided and will continue to provide as we have needs. Praise Him!
The work in Mbale has slowed as Shawn told he wanted it to, but I will be getting more updated pictures from Heidi (the team photographer) after their trip to Kampala this week end. Other than that the father daughter tea was fun, but we ate too much sugary sweets. I will have a picture to post as soon as I get it from the photographer. All from here...we are well. Blessings, Tom

2007-04-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

Looking Back Down the Road....
It's been 10 days since my last post. I was prayed through my healing from the malaria and God answered our/your prayers and I can report it's all gone. I started work last week and have been busy working on bids for work this summer. The work in Mbale continues to progress although at a slower pace. Ken Vaughn the 80 year old man who came 3 years ago to help in the process has come again and I pray him the same favor I had during my time there. The floors are finished and so is the all the face brick which leaves painting, air conditioning and electrical. The conference center is continuing to progress and I will update pictures as I get them. Well today is the father daughter tea at church and Melissa and I will attend again. All for now from this side of the planet. Blessings, Tom

2007-04-11T14:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry,
I haven't blogged lately because I have Malaria...at aleast we think it is and I started treatment yesterday. Please pray because I need to work and we really can't afford too many doctors visits.
Thank You,
Tom

2007-04-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

BACK THROUGH THE KEY HOLE!
I think I explained how we felt on our trip to Africa and now we've got sucked back through and now to dig out, do taxes, contemplate our time in Arica and WORK to top up the bank account!
Our trip;The flight from Entebbe was delayed and hour and we had to stop in Nairobi cuz there was not enough fuel in UG so we were 2 hours late. Missed a planned meeting with some friends in Amsterdam and got right back on the plane for MN, but besides that nothing out of the ordinary...even slept the first leg.
We got a nap thursday afternoon so we could go to the Maundy evening service...was real special and it even brought a tear to my eye (not exactely sure if I was so moved and greatful that God ahd brought us safely back or if I was just exhausted, or both).
One nuget I walked away with and I want to think on it more was that life as a missionary isn't so much about the spectaular (like people want it to be) and it is some times, but it's about the mundane, the day to day sluggin it out in a difficult world of circumstances with out the conveinces we have in the USA.
Thanks for all your prayers...don't stop now...will have more posts and pictures as the days pass. Blessings, Tom (the pick was us all packed up going to the airport)

2007-04-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

here

The inevitable day is here!

So we leave for Kampala today. Not sure if we'll have e-mail there, so about near future blogs might have to wait untill we get home, but we'll have to see.

I'll start with Saturday...my last day at work and only part of a day at that. In the AM I handed over all the finances and records to Shawn Tyler (missionary-Mbale C of C) and that load was lifted. I have to say having all those millions of shillings passing through my fingers was probably the most taxing part of the work.
So most of the day was filled with taking Jeremy to the market, buying gifts for his friends and getting stuff he wanted to take back. We had a small going away party with the workers down at the site, soda's and bisquits and a few speaches and prayers...then dinner with the Tylers...Something happened for the the 1st time since we came, I actually saw the power going out as a blessing. Usually Saturday nights are very loud (party music)and need I say more? We had a peaceful night sleep.

Sunday...church, but a big surprise! Service was just starting and I was told I had some (white) visitors. I went out to find our neighbors brother and son loaded down with back packs standing there grinning at me. They came into the service and afterwards we went out to lunch (with the whole Mbale CoC team too) and the story unfolded. They now live in Israel and the son was doing the traveling for his barmiztfa. They were traveling to Ruwanda via Uganda and stopped in to say "Hi". We'll take them to Jinja to raft the Nile on our way to Kampala tomorrow.
Sun night bible study and pancakes at the Shelburnes...saying our fairwells at 2 different groups (was bitter sweet), but as we said our "see ya laters" (better than good bye's) to so many that we have been fellow shipping with while here we felt grateful that God had blessed us with these dear olf friends and many new friends also.

It's now 5 AM and We leave in just about 4 hours...I've lots to do and as I said before the blog will continue for some months as news of the building, and thoughts and musings come our way...Blessings and thanks for blogging with us. Tom for the whole family...

2007-03-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! It's Friday for us which means just one more day to work and 3 days till we leave Mbale (we will reach MN on the 5th of April)...I want to 1st thank all of you that have posted comments and to all the rest thanks for checking in on our blog. Please be advised that I will continue the blog for a few weeks after we return to the USA to post musings and additional pics.
Well, just one more window to put in, the painting has started and the face brick is almost done. It will take a few more months after we leave to do the finishing touches and landscaping, but I am happy with what we accomplished and so are the missionaries that we came to serve. I should get the cable for the camera that I am using today so I can download some pics tomorrow.
Blessings,
Tom

2007-03-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS COMPLETION...
People here in polite conversation have asked me will I be finished when I leave? I always reply, absolutely! After I leave I won't be doing anymore work on this project. So in a real way I will be finished, but that's not the heart of the question is it. What will be left to do...that is a better question! But I will answer that after I do finish my work this week. What has gotten done as of late is; the face brick is more than half done, the terrazzo flooring process has been done in 4 rooms and my part...the ceilings are finally finished! Next for me is to install the aluminum windows which I'll do in the next couple of days. Thanks goes to my Aussie friend John Duffield for his great help with the ceilings and also for the fellowship (and thanks to his wife for the cookies.) He and his wife have been serving here in Uganda for 5 years and they feel God is leading them back to Australia for now. He shared yesterday that God used Julie and me in a very tangible way at the right time with the right words to help make this decision. We are humbled and thankful that God indeed uses us and we saw it this time, which isn't always the case is it? Well, keep praying...were not out of the woods yet. Blessings, Tom

2007-03-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

Our last trip to the village

We were planning this trip for some time knowing that we needed to get up to our old home area just one more time to see the people who we absolutely couldn’t miss visiting with. The plan didn’t include one of our friends from Kampala calling and saying that her and her niece would like to come for a visit. They would have to go with us to Sebei which would be fun. We went up and checked into the “Crows Nest” a local place with bamboo huts over looking Sipi falls. The one thing we over looked was that about a dozen or more kids from the UK would be there also, and their drunken behavior, i.e. loud drinking games, bar songs and throwing bottles down upon our tin roofs would keep us awake until 1AM!
The next morning we went 1st to our old house workers place , Lydia (she’s married now and has 2 kids) and she had to feed us ...chicken rice and chapities, soda, and then tea and at 10 AM then on to the next house (Rita and Wille’s) for more of the same food plus some more...with bellies full we bumped down the road back to Mbale. The road now is tarmacked and we have no fear of rain these days. I’m afraid the camera we are using does not have a connection cord so no down loading pictures until next weekend. Well, our last week has arrived...more later, Tom

2007-03-23T04:43:00.000-07:00

March 23 From Julie
Hiking up Wanale

Another goal accomplished. Mbale (the town we live in) is nestle in several mountain ranges/ foothills. The most prominent being Wanale Ridge. In all the year I have been here I have never been to the top. So Jeremy and I ( along with a missionary friend and 3 of his boys) organized with a friend who lives on the mountain and off we went for a thrilling 6 hour trek. The beauty of the place was astounding... what I saw of it between my gasping! Jeremy and the other boys were like mountain goats hoping from rock to rock taking in all the sights. Jeremy counted 32 giant slugs and we adults enjoyed witnessing a migration of several types of predatory birds. The pictures show the last thing to do before reaching the top. I wasn't thrilled, ( I don't know maybe I'm fussy but I think a ladder should have at least a few nails or maybe tied together with some rope...not the case here) but didn't want to look like a wimp. Plus right before our group climbed a women with a baby on her back, carrying 8 or so logs, climbed up with one hand. I made it ( with Jeremy's encouragement that he'd come down and help me if I needed it... yikes come down?... I don't think so)with knees shaking and a cheer from the rest of the group. If I had known then that going up was much easier then traversing the steep, narrow, wet paths down maybe I wouldn't have gone up in the first place. It wasn't Kilimanjaro, but an accomplishment none the less and with the way my feet and legs feel today, I don't think I'll be trying anything else for quite some time.

2007-03-21T22:00:00.000-07:00

Another day is gone and more work was done...these have been good days, but tough ones as my job is different as I do some of the work and supervise/buy too. The ceilings will be done today or close to it. More work has be done on the outside face bricking and much of the work has shifted to the conference center down below. Julie and Jeremy went off to climb Wanale ridge this morning so expect some spectacular pictures in future blogs. We are so blessed to have been chosen for this work and see afresh what all missionaries go through. What we've come to understand is that it's the small things that bother you, that you have to overcome and suffer through and grow from that makes for a missionaries life. It's the side that the biographies usually leave out. It's not just the big things, but the little things that God uses to chip away at the corners to make us into a better instrument in His hands.

2007-03-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

It's 3AM...7PM Minnesota time and I can't sleep. I strained my back a little bit the other day, just lifting some tools into the back of the truck...ouch, please pray for our health and protection in these last days here. Well, I (and my Aussie friend John) have put up ceiling boards in all the rooms, but 2. Tomorrow we will finish with the boards and just have the batons to put on the seams. AND hopefully the windows are coming from Kampala tomorrow also.
The picture is of the face bricks being started which will go all the way around the building up to a 9" band that will run around the entire building also...I will send pics of the finished project and that will explain better than my words. On a light note ...we were at the Tyler's house for dinner the other night, talking about random stuff and Shawn said he saw a poster in a doctors office that read, "my grandmother started running at age 65, she's now 80 and we don't know where she is"...we love to laugh and these days have been precious as we wind down our time here with our friends. Another funny thing happened to Ian Shelburne...after he got his computer stolen from his truck he writes in his watch and pray news letter..."our coworkers received a CD-R in the mail with anonymous written instructions to give to me. It had a “read-me” document saying the writer had bought my computer from someone. He wrote that he was sorry about the theft and wished he could afford to return it. What he did take the time to do was to back up the My Documents files on the hard drive and burn them on to the CD-R that he sent.

What a funny/different place this is...if I was Dorthy in the wizard of OZ I would be saying, "were not in Kansas anymore Toto" All from here, Tom

2007-03-17T23:28:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday morning for us here in Africa while most of our friends in the are fast asleep. We are about to go off to church...Julie has made her usual Sunday morning breakfast, ie breakfast burritos (fried potatoes and eggs rolled in a tortilla).
Yesterday I wanted to take part of the day off and do accounting, but the needs at the construction sites were too great for that to happen...It looks like we will accomplish our goal of finishing the GNPI building before we go, but we'll see...still anything can happen, but we pray that will be the case. Thank you for all your prayers on our behalf, they have been felt as the answers have come.
Blessings, TOM
PS The Picture is of the all the kids at the Mbale school during crazy hair days

2007-03-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

From visiting our old home area on Sundays to visiting with our long time missionary friends, this has been an experience we hope will serve us well as we continue to help train/mentor future missionaries back in the USA. As we sat last evening and visited with Shawn and Linda Tyler it became more apparent to me that the scope of their work for the Kindom of God is much larger than I had imagined. As we chatted about their struggles Shawn said, "Our struggles are different than a lot of missionaries because of the scope and length of time we've been here." His struggle? How does a team of 6 effectively work with 350 churches spanning 6 different language groups? Wow...to have such problems, many missionaries would give their right arms to have. It is with those kinds of thoughts that we give what we have to the final weeks here to build for these "persevering saints" hoping to be a blessing as we head down this road God as put us on...
Paint and facia brick on next week! Keep praying...
Love and miss you all, Tom

2007-03-15T13:02:00.001-07:00

First off I want to confirm for those who didn't know that the lizard that Jeremy is holding in the picture is infact a chameleon! Now that we got that cleared up...
The Blessings;
We got together for team devo's (devotions) as we do every week, but this time would be our last with the team before we left because they all will be gone on a retreat our last 2 weeks here, so they blessed us. Now blessing us meant they went around the room and told how we were a blessing to them. There was about 19 people in all so it went long, but oh so fast. We were so touched by each and every person who shared thier blessing with us and it really blessed us by hearing face to face how our lives had touched theirs and we felt so loved and cared for! Love in the body of Christ...just a taste of what heaven will be like.

So we are winding down as we have 2 more weeks here in Mbale, but that doesn't mean construction is slowing. We are now plastering the last 2 rooms in the GNPI building and the roof rafters are all in place on the MTI Dorm/Conference center.
Thank you for all the prayers and keep them coming for these last weeks here.
Well I must sing off it's late and the days are full.
Blessings, Tom

2007-03-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

I didn't post about Sunday, but the most remarkable thing happened so I will now...
We went up to Sipi to church and in the middle of the Service the Pastor and the elders from the "home church" came in. Aparently they had some bad words between the 2 churches and these men had come to apologize and when they were through they took our pastor up to their church to do the same...Yes the church is maturing! God is at work and we got to witness it. I am so glad we decided to go (at the last minute) and we had a meal with some of the elders afterward.
Building News: Yesterday I spent 6 plus hours trying to balance the books. We've spent roughly 60 million shillings (1700 to one US $--you od the math)and it is like spending that many dollars and the largest bill is a 50, but the most used bill is a 20,000 shilling note and the 10's and 5's are more common. So piles of money and I have to write it all down and then transfer it on to the computer...but I finally got it to balance. Restored my faith in perseverence.
Watched the Super Bowl last night as Julie made food at the "girls" house. Was fun even though I knew who won already. Well powers out and I have to go. Blessings, Tom
PS Jeremy went out and found a friend!

2007-03-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

I awoke with a gasp as I heard something I have only heard in movies before...was that a machine gun?? There it went again, yep that was a machine gun...how close was it?? Trying to get back to sleep I dozed in and out for most of the rest of the night dreaming of robbers and such...When I did get up I was tired, but knew i had a lot of work to do...as I went through the gate on the way to work the guard told me that the police had shot at some robbers trying to rob the Mt. Elgon hotel up the street and had chased them just up the road before they had shot and missed...there have been several robberies in the downtown area, even in the middle of the day...please pray for me as i carry large sums of money around with me as I buy all the materials for the job.
Work is really progressing...we have 2 rooms plastered and the upward part of the outside is finished. The "face brick" we will start on Monday.
Kids are doing well, but ready to go home...this is so much like camping and even camping can get old...
Today we all go up to Sipi for church to renew old friendships we had in our old home place. All for now, Blessings, and thank you for all your prayers on our behalf, Tom

2007-03-08T23:04:00.000-08:00

Field trip to make a drum.
One of my (Julie) desires for this trip was to see how a local drum was made. When we arrived I spoke with a friend and asked him to make the arrangements. Finding the right metal can, getting the cow hide and organizing with the man with the drum-making skills finally came together on Wednesday. We traveled a short distance out of town and stopped the car in the middle of the road/path. Small stools were brought from a variety of houses and the process of stretching and lacing the skin around the can began. There was much talking and greeting and gathering of a group of smaller children ( we were as much an attraction for them as the drum making was for us)As we sat a little longer, welcome gifts of 4 large stalks of sugar cane appeared (as well as a basin filled with avocados and another filled with papaya.) Jeremy has wanted to eat sugar cane "locally," but each time we have had opportunity our hosts have always stripped the outer skin and chopped it into small, soft, "muzungu" (white people) size pieces. Our hosts have been afraid that our teeth are too soft to eat it in such a "rough" manner which has caused Jeremy to lose hope of ever eating it the "right" way. So we sat looking on as the drum man continued his craft, we got to eat the sugar cane in the local manner... Jeremy was happy... it was a little unceremonious for me... ripping, chewing, sucking, and then spitting it out, all the time coughing out the little pieces that slip by and would catch in my throat.
We took a break and climbed up the bluff to see a goat project that our host was running. They breed goats to give to widows and homes with orphans. The families are taught how to keep the goats, breed them (and at least one must come back to the project to be given to another family), and use the manure to boost their garden's output. It was good to see a sustainable project that is having a significant impact for these families.
We returned to find the drum completed. It was now time to head back, loaded up with our gifts from the neighbors, to finish our field trip by having lunch with our host. The drum will be ready to play in the next few days... now to organize a few lessons.

2007-03-08T21:07:00.000-08:00

I posted about the roof last night...left out the news and pics of the septic tank and thought you all might want to see what one looks like...Enjoy!

2007-03-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

We have roofage!
The roof is on and we have started the framing for the ceiling boards which will be 4 by 8 sheets of a soft board...better to soften the noise. The outside has been plastered and the fascia brick will start to go on tomorrow. I have a friend from Kampala here helping me do the framing and it is good to swing a hammer again.
We are all well and I am sleeping a bit better. Thanks for all who have been praying!
Jeremy came home with 2 baby cobras that he and his friend had killed...they'll be in the jar with the snake his friend gave him and will most likely be coming home with us...how will we explain that to the customs people?
All for now...blessings, Tom

2007-03-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

Hey, I forgot to mention my Bible and jounal found it's way back to me! A real answer to prayer!

2007-03-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

The days fly past and the work is in a phase that doesn’t show great progress, but there are many foundational things being done. We now have both septic tanks dug and one has been bricked in. We had trouble with water filling the holes and we had to have a pumper guy come for several days in a row come pump the 12' by 12' holes out. He used a foot pump that look much like a stair stepper. I told the guys that if they we inventive they might be able to advertise this devise as a health club attraction and get it done for free. They didn’t get it as most of my joking, but I won’t stop trying and it makes them laugh anyway. I actually got my power saw out yesterday and cut all the rafter tails off and had the carpenters drooling and asking where they could get such a machine. So we are finally ready for the roof. I thought that we would have it on sooner, but forgot all the things that had to happen before the roof could be ready and even though I have done this before building here is so different here I forget stuff. Fortunately I have a crew that is skilled and goes and does what is needed. So my job as I see it is mainly being the banker/quality control/expediter person. Which is very needed, but just a different role that I play in my construction company back in the USA. Notice the gutters in the picture...they were specially made for this building. The man in the picture is the 79 year old carpenter. He and his 2 sons are doing the roof rafters and sheeting.

2007-03-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

Hi y'all! this is Melissa! today is pool day!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!! this week has been very full! yesterday somone took my dads bible and journal...... it still hasn't shown up....... and I was feeling VERY poorly yesterday...... everyone is missing home........ well i have to go! see ya!

2007-03-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

Good day yesterday...the rafters go up and the electrician has started putting his conduit and boxes in the walls. The "mabati" corregated sheets will go on tomorrow!
I had my best night sleep the other night, thank you for all who have been praying. God has shown me that somethings come only through much prayer so we trust not on ourselves, but Him who gives to all who asks. The kids have a few weeks left of school as the team here gets ready for first their women's retreat and then East Africa missionaries retreat. Both are in Kenya and the team here won't get back until the day we leave for Kampala to fly out. It will be strange to not have them here, but it will give us other oportunities to fellowship with other friends here. We have been so blessed by the community of believers here! Well I'll post a picture of the start of the day when the rafters just began their journey to the top of the building. Thank you for all who comment...we love to hear what people think.
Blessings,
Tom

2007-03-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

Power is out again so I am doing this by batteries and candle light...appreciate what you have while you have it!
Today the carpenters put the top plates on the walls and tomorrow we put up rafters!
The inside walls are being finished and everything is moving along. My helper Josh Shelburne has left for Sudan to start building a clinic so I am alone with my African counterparts. Communication and mis-communication make for interesting days, but somehow we all manage. At least I make them laugh a lot as I blunder through the 4 to 5 different languages spoken here.
Well, just thought I'd keep you all up to date on the progress. Keep praying!
Blessings,
Tom

2007-02-27T01:58:00.000-08:00

Favorite mode of transport to school and a view of the school yard.

School - Mbale Style. Feb 27 2007

Many have asked how the kids are doing. After an initial adjustment they are doing well. We decided to have them join the mission school which has helped integrate them into the community. School runs Tuesdays thru Fridays from 8:30 to 3:ish depending on if their work was completed. There are 5 wonderful gals who have come to teach the 20 or so preschoolers to 10th grader. Classes are broken into 45 minute segments and the kids move to the class or teacher as assigned. Three of us moms come on a daily basis to teach an on going class and in my case to tutor my kids in the subjects that they are at a different level then the majority of the other kids. So first hour I am teaching Melissa pre-algebra and then I return 4th hour to teach Jeremy his language arts. I am very thankful for this experience. The kids have grown by being in a classroom setting for the first time and I then have some freedom to minister in other ways while we are here. Melissa has just finished "Cry, The Beloved Country" in Lit class and Jeremy is gaining understanding about atoms and chemical reactions. Melissa is hoping that there won't be enough worms for her to have to dissect in the next section of Biology... Jeremy has offered but I guess he'll just have to wait until he is older.

2007-02-25T21:32:00.000-08:00

Sunday proved to be a bit of a change of plans for all of us. We had hoped to go to church up in Sebei where we used to live, but Jeremy had a head ache, so I (Tom) was the only one to go as Julie stayed home with the kids. I picked up Masawo a Sabean living in Mbale to go along. He wanted to go home to go to church and he and Julie had planned to give the church 2 sheet cakes which Masawo had made for us. They did this because we had not told anyone we were coming and they would not have anything prepared for us to eat. Anyway, we made the long drive up the beautiful mountain of our home of 7 years and memories flooded my thoughts as we drove. We talked about the church spilt that had happened and other news about the church so I could be prepared for what was to come. We arrived late, but then they had started late. All were very surprised to see me and because of my grey beard some even doubted it was me. We had our 2 1/2 church service on backless wooden benches and the smell of freshly smeared cow dung on the floor brought back many memories. I listened to 3 different choirs, lots of choruses and testimonies. I gave my testimony and made them all laugh with my broken language and ended up doing the rest in English. After the sermon and church was over Masowo and I went into the little town center for lunch and then headed for the main church to see a man who had recently lost his wife. He wasn't home, but we left his children with sugar and then found him at the church. We talked with him and the elders and then it was time to go home before the sun set. It was a good, but tiring day.

2007-02-24T15:45:00.000-08:00

It’s 2AM...2nd night in a row I couldn’t sleep and had to get up, please pray for my sleep here.
The last couple of days have been busy. Julie has made visits with friends here and has gone to the market which is it’s own unique experience of narrow rows of clothing and goods. Almost looks like the midway at the fair only shrunk down to a tenth of that size. I went with Jeremy today, he wanted to buy a panga (machete) and some other cool looking knives. We found what we were looking for and I think he was a little over whelmed by the place. Both kids don’t get into the town center much.
The work at both GNPI and the Conference center are going well! We should be putting the rafters on both next week.
Our time here is half finished and we still have so many people to re-connect with. Tomorrow we go to church up in Sipi where we used to live. We have seen a few friends from there, but it will be our first time up there. We will be visiting a church which was a split off from the church we used to attend. Pray for our safety as we drive up. We’ll share pictures when we return.
All for now, Tom

2007-02-21T20:55:00.000-08:00

High lights **kids are feeling better** !!
Wow so much work has taken place in just 2 days...I'll let the pictures do the talken. We'll write more later...Tom
P.S. Pic #1 is on tues and #2 is Wed...

2007-02-19T20:31:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd post this picture taken by one of the Missionaries on there way to church (just a couple of blocks down the road). We have walls up to the window level now, but I can't show any pics because the camera I'm borrowing ran out of power. Will hopfully do it tomarrow. Keep praying for Melissa she is still a bit under the weather. Thank you for all the prayers on our behalf! We feel blessed...Tom

2007-02-19T00:41:00.001-08:00

A picture of our not so ferocious guard dog "Abbey"

Feb 21 -Julie
The land that time forgot... sort of

For a place supposedly free from the tyranny of the clock, I find myself thinking about time... All the time.
-The timing of a visit to friend's house is very important. Stopping in at the wrong time adds burden to your host to prepare food; sometimes at a great cost of money and TIME.
-Is is time to hang clothes on the line before the afternoon rains come?
-Is there time to bleach veggies, pick rocks from rice, make bread, or fry the peanuts all in TIME to get dinner to my hungry family at a normal TIME?
-Is it time to charge the phone or the computer battery before the the electricity goes off for the next 24 hours ( 2 days on, 1 day off is the normal schedule around here)
-Is it time to get to the market to get the meat before the heat and the flies get it first? EEWW
-Is it time to shut the doors and pull down the mosquito nets to protect from malaria?
-Is it time to take our malaria prophylaxis?
-Is there time to turn the hot water heater on for baths and to do the evening dishes?
-Is it time to fill the water filter to give us the liters of water that we need each day? ( thankfully with the new filters the need for boiling had been removed)

-the Bible reminds us that there is time in each day for what the Lord has asked us to do.
To manage the daily tasks in a reasonable amount of time, so as to to wring from each day all the love, joy, service, and experience that God has for us, has been our goal as we use our time....
And my how TIME flies

Julie

2007-02-19T00:12:00.000-08:00

One of the joys for us as we return to Uganda has been to visit memories that have grown dusty on the shelf of our minds. Not that the memories aren't important... many are very significant... but with few to share these memories it just means they are visited much less often.

For example while waiting for weekly bible study last week we heard what sounded like a gun shot (relax mom, we are fine!)which thankfully are relatively rare occurrences at this point in time... but it wasn't always so. My dear friend looked at me and said, " do your remember the night we gathered the children from their beds and all huddled in the bathroom (no windows) the night that the gunshots were steadily coming closer?" It was an event I haven't thought about in years, but in that moment we remembered together the protection of God and the joy of shared experiences.

We remembered the births of children and the care of those children through the various illness and incidents that they got into (stinging caterpillars, mango worms beneath sensitive skin, flapped corneas, and burned hands to name a few!)

We have remembered our initial cultural goofs and our journey towards greater understanding. We have remembered the creating of a home and friendships that have grown even in our fragmented visitng.

I remembered the death of my father with my dear friend Vincent who cried with me and helped me to try and find a phone to reach Tom with the news. So painful, yet so dear that I was not alone.
We remember the Hand of God that has sustained and strengthened ever so faithfully over the years.

It is good to remember and be in a place where sharing makes the memories fresh and in light of God's grace more sweet.

Julie

2007-02-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's 3:00 AM and I could sleep...blaring music until 1:30 and now I'm waiting for the some sleep stuff to kick in. Internet works reall good this time of the morning, though. We finished the floor today and I just about finished working on the kids carpet ball table (see above). The kids will love this and have been looking forward to it. Well must get some rest so...later. Tom

2007-02-16T21:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday even though the rains came we managed to pour 3/4 of the slab and our hoping to finish up today. We can then start building the walls. The carpenters have begun making the rafters and the Mabati (corrigated tin) has been ordered and should be here next week. I am hoping that we'll be close to putting the roof on by the end of next week. Keep praying, Jeremy woke up with a head ache and we always suspect malaria, but it not always is. Blessings, Tom

2007-02-16T02:47:00.000-08:00

Today the rains have returned, just when we started pouring the floor. I have been busy going back and forth to town buying and then finding transport for wood, metal and cement. We have already gone through 120 bags and we aren't even close to finished.
I can guess that we will have gone through 1000 to 1500 bags by the time we are finished and each bag is $10. Melissa continues to feel a bit nauseated (sp?), but has been going to school anyway. Jeremy loves the freedom to take a boda boda (bicycle taxi) to his friends house by himself. We brought the makings for a carpet ball table and I'm partially finished with it. Julie has been her usual self, visiting with sick folks and bringing comfort through listening and her wisdom.
All in all we are where God wants us right now, which feels good. We miss you all and this time is going very fast for us.
Blessings,
Tom

2007-02-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

Thursday...
Yesterday found us praying around the clock for Phillip one of the missionaries here. He has been sick for one month and the doctors can't find exactely what is wrong with him.
The work on the buildings continues to progress. We will be ready to pour a floor on the GNPI building in a couple of days.
The dorms are getting prepared for rafters. Pray for Melissa, she has not been feeling well.
Other than that we are all doing ok. We miss you all and would love to hear how we can pray for you during our time here.
Blessings,
Tom

2007-02-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

It's Monday morning, but I'll comment on the rest of our Sunday.
We went to the town church where they finished up 2 Corinthians. The focus was on the final verse and these concepts; grace, love and fellowship. After Church, we went out to eat in a local restaurant (pictured above)which is their habit every Sunday afternoon. I took the kids swimming and visited with an Indian couple who I have known for quite some time while they swam. At 5pm we headed off for Bible study, then on to another house for a pancake meal, finally making our way in the dark (because the power was out) back home to bed.
Keep praying- we are doing well, but we see pockets of opposition to this work and your prayers are critical!
All for now, Tom

It’s now Wed Morning-Valentines day! I wasn’t able to post the last couple of days due to slow connections, but I hope this one will go through. We are moving along on the GNPI building and will be ready to pour the cement floor today. Hopefully that will be done in 2 days. We went over to the “girls” house last night and Julie cooked for them. We played games after dinner and then went home for an early bed time. I have prayer meeting this morning with the guys on the team.

2007-02-11T20:50:00.000-08:00

It's monday morning, but I'll comment on the rest of our Sunday.
We went to the town church where they finished up 2 Corinthians. The focus was on the final verse and these concepts; grace, love and fellowship. After Church, we went out to eat in a local resturant (pictured above)which is their habit every Sunday afternoon. I took the kids swimming and visited with an Indain couple who I have known for quite some time while thye swam. At 5pm we headed off for Bible study, then on to another house for a pancake meal, finally making our way in the dark (because the power was out) back home to bed.
Keep praying- we are doing well, but we see pockets of oposition to this work and your prayers are critical!
All for now, Tom

2007-02-10T20:05:00.000-08:00

A good and a long night.
Today, we finished digging the footings for th GNPI building and started to pour the cement. The process will take several days as we have to mix the cement by hand on the ground.
After work we went to dinner at one of our dear Ugandan friends house. They recently had a baby which they wanted to call Julie, but they already had a Judy and thought it might get confusing when calling for them. They made us a wonderful meal of rice, chapatis (like thick tortillas), potatoes, beef, chicken and goat with soup and soda's. We were well fed!! And had a nice visit catching up on the news of the past few years since we had last met and we went home tired...
The night was long because someone played loud music until the rooster crowed in the morning and it is quite now as I type early in the morning.
Have been able to SKYPE (free telephone at www.skype.com) with a few of you and others texting on MSN messenger which has been fun, so if your adventuress try it.
All for now...From Tom

2007-02-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Praise!
Today we made headway in our ability to start the work on the GNPI building. We have the ok, but the guy that was blocking us wants some money so I'm sure we're not out of the woods yet. The kids are doing well in school or should I say adjusting well. They have kids to play with and if the rains weren't coming every afternoon they'd find plenty to do outside, but as it is they get trapped inside sometimes with out power. We try and tell them it builds character, but they don't believe it, can you imagine that.
Thanks for all your prayers on our behalf.
We are very thankful!
Blessings,
Tom for all...

2007-02-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

It's Friday! We are all at different stages of wellness.
The kids have started school and it has been a challenge, as they are used to home school. This picture is of them heading off.
Work has been going on well on the dormitory, but the GNPI building has been blocked by a local government offical, but we have hope of it being resolved today.
Thanks for all of your prayers on your behalf.
Tom for the family...

2007-02-06T20:16:00.000-08:00

One week after boarding the plane I found myself in a much different place doing very different things. There has been the expected hanging of mosquito nets, foraging in the market and learning to deal with electrical power that is off more than it is on... any way ... Sunday night a medical team arrived from the capital with their doctor ill with some tummy ailment. With her out of the picture the nurse who normally does triage(deciding who needs the doctor or who can be given small help with out seeing the doctor)would have to bump up to doctor status thus leaving the triage position open. there were 8 folks going but all relatively new to the country and none with medical experience. So I got to go to a village 1 hour out of town in a very beautiful place... that I must admit I didn't get much time to see. Malaria, scabies, open wounds, ring worm, chest pain, worm filled bellies were the most commen of illnesses. We listened, we tested, we administered aid and hopefully we helped. After 8 hours and having talked to 170 people I came back tired, and voiceless but happy to be in Uganda. Bye for now --- Julie

2007-02-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

HIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!! this is Melissa (o: i"m really board right now! I'm going to put some pics on now! haha (o: well i have to go....... see ya! bye!!!!!!!

2007-02-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Hi
Some have asked that we identify who is writing...It is Tom, which has almost been me exclusively. We have finally got internet where we stay!!!Yea!
News for prayer;
-We still need $900 to meet our budget.
-Local government blocking our work...more later.
-One worker fell from roof and was knocked uncounconcious, but isn't hurt too bad.
-One room in our place is moldy and needs help.
-Our host family is not doing real well.
Praise;
-We are healthy
-We are happy
-We are trusting in God!
Well I must go off to work. Just got this internet ting working so I thought I would do a quick posting.
Thanks for all your prayers!
Tom for the family

2007-02-04T03:26:00.000-08:00

Feb 1 We’ve reached Mbale!
The roads are a little rougher than I remember. We settled into our new house, it’s a 475 square foot 3 bed room place that will be a little cozy for all of us. We had dinner over at the Tylers and we thought it fortunate that we had power, but in the middle of dinner it went out. It is supposed to be pretty consistant 48 hours on and 24 hours off, but I guess it doesn’t always follow that rule. Melissa and I woke up in the pre-dawn hours of our first morning to candles and head lamps to read and work by (she’s painting a picture). The rains are still here, which is not suppose to happen this time of year which will make building interesting.
It's now Sunday Feb 4th
Fri-We unpacked, got set up and oriented to the new place and then I went to the site and staked out the building. Went to dinner at Tyler's power went out...1st night in darkness, but our hearts were glad to be here.
Sat- I (Tom) got up early 3AM, after 7 hours of sleep...power is on, but went off again for a couple of hours. I reached the work site at 7AM and the digging had begun, but we got stopped by some authorities and will sort that out on Monday.
Sun-I have finally gone ot one of our fiends to use their internet connection. We had thought we'd have our place all set up for that, but the folks were staying with, the Shero's...Phillip is real sick so we haven't been able to set it up. So for now our e-mails and blogging will be kinda sporadic. We went to Church this morning and will go to a Bible study toight.

2007-01-31T20:44:00.000-08:00

Just like getting sucked through key hole.

That's what we felt like or the metaphor I thought of as we reached Kampala. Seriously, it feels a bit like going through a time warp, but we are thankful to have reached safely and we praised God that all our luggage reached safely too.

We got a lot of shopping, food and goods that we'll need yesterday...today we leave for Mbale, the down where we'll live...I'll let Melissa write some... Hi y'all, this is Melissa (o: I've taken lots of fun pic's and as soon as I get a good Internet connection I'll down load some. Their's a dog here that looks a bit like My Cooper (o: We (Jeremy and I) call him Bibbles, Bibbs, and Bibbsies which are all short for "Psycho Bibble Babble Dog" because he was REALLY hyper when we got here. Well we're packing up so I have to go help........... See you all soon. Bye. Melissa (o:

2007-01-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! Well we leave for Uganda tomorrow! we're almost all packed. Just a few last minute things to do. We fly @3:20pm to Amsterdam reach there @ 6:30am (which is 11:30pm USA time). We then have a 3 hour lay over and leave 11:05am (for 3:05am USA time) and reach Entebbe Uganda 8 hours later. We'll be staying in a guest house the first night, then on to Kampala to stay with a missionary friend for a day of buying the things we'll need up country. We will then leave (the Lord willing) for Mbale (a 3 1/2 hour trip) and spend the first night there. (remember were 8 hours ahead of Central Standard time)
Well thank you for all of you who have promised to pray and support us, we could do this without God using you. We are truly blessed.
Please look in on this blog to follow our progress during this faith building trip.
Tom for the family...

2007-01-24T07:10:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

Well we have 5 days to go before we leave!!!

Our Support is at 67% which means our Travel costs are covered, but we still need another $3000 which I'm sure the Lord will bring about.

We are so wrapped up in list completing that it's hard to get to excited, but that will come. For those of you who pray, please do! We bank all our hopes that God will work through your prayers.

Blessings,

Tom

2007-01-12T07:11:00.000-08:00

We have a place to stay in for our 9 weeks in Mbale! Please pray for our kids especially as it will be a challenge for them to see this as more of an adventure than just hardship. The team we are going to help is very full with interns and teachers so we are thankful a place has been provided for us.

2007-01-11T04:52:00.000-08:00

We received $3200 in support to date! We are well on the way.

Prayer request; pray that we would find ministries that the kids can be involved in that would ingage them.

This picture is of the school in process that we worked on last trip. Construction will look the same for the new building. Thanks for praying!

2007-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

2007-01-02T05:48:00.000-08:00

It is the 2nd day of the New Year...potentially 27 days to go. Have to check on another airline price before booking with AFC travel. They boast $895 + tax to Entebbe...will have to see that to believe it.
Well the Lord is providing funds for this trip. We have $2500 with just 3 donors so far. Will be fun to see what comes in this week. We have people also committed to pray. Keep watching as God unfolds his plan for us in all this.

2007-01-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

W e will be buying airline tickets tomorrow. No turning back now.

2006-12-26T20:47:00.000-08:00

2006-12-26T10:26:00.000-08:00

It's now the day after Christmas and we finished and mailed our prayer letter. January will be filled with some work for me (Tom) and going out to Colorado Springs to be in Mike Moline's and Jennifer Choat's wedding. We are still hoping for cheap tickets. We'll purchase them after the 1st of the year.

2006-12-17T11:52:00.000-08:00

It's mid December and we have, Lord willing 6 weeks before we leave for Uganda. I just received pictures of a finished MTI (Messiah Theological Institute) that I worked on last time.
I'm posting a before and after pic for you all to see the progress. The building we will be working on is only a stones throw form this building.