Quick Update fromt the Team!

After about 45+ hours total of travelling, we finally made it to the Entebbe International Airport in Uganda! We were all exhausted but in surprisingly good moods even after uncomfortable flights (especially with Father Greg crammed into tiny plane seats…Ethiopian Air does not like personal space), cancelled flights, re-routed flights, hours of layovers, and losing ALL of our luggage. Cindy and Susan picked us up from the airport and we headed straight to a restaurant to meet Trish and Newman Lawrence, who have been living here about 6 weeks not working with Palmetto Medical Initiative. We did some shopping (which consisted of Father Greg and Susan buying packs of water bottles while the rest of us tried not to fall asleep waiting to find our van). We got to Namirembe Guest House, ate dinner, and were headed to bed by 830.
Our first day was a great one! We (minus the Rothermel ladies, who needed some rest but are thankfully feeling great tonight) left the guest house at 7, heading to the 150^th Anniversary Celebration of the Martyrs of Uganda. There were tons and tons of people. It was an incredible service, the whole thing lasting from 10 to 5. Hopefully we can go into more detail soon, but here’s a snapshot of events: we had trouble getting through security, Peter and Walt were stuck outside the gates until 2, time which they used to pray for anybody passing by, Karen and Clair experienced some kind of miracle, and we all seemed to end up praying over and with Ugandans who had come for the celebration. It was a first day to remember, and we will put up more pictures and more details soon! Keep checking the blog, and keep praying for our team!

They have arrived in Entebe Uganda

Dear All:

Louise has finally heard from the team...they have arrived after 44 hours of travel...delays and re-routing through Ethiopia, they have landed in Entebbe. Please pray for their lost luggage, as many are currently filling out lost luggage reports at the airport just now. Sounds familiar to former team members??!! Cindy and Susan Morris were on hand to greet the very weary travelers. 

Praising the Lord for their safe arrival!

Blessings,

Beth

 

 

Cindy Friday June 1

Friday June 1st –From Cindy Pennington I was blessed to be invited to the Church of Uganda Provincial Staff Devotion this morning.  There were about 25-30 folks.   This morning Archbishop Henry Orumbi made a special request to lead the devotion.  Susan said that he is not usually in attendance and when he is he generally lets the assigned leader, lead. So it was a special treat for all of us. He taught for about 30-40 minutes on the John 21 1:19 (Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish and the conversation with Peter where Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him).  This month the Church of Uganda will elect the successor to Archbishop Orumbi, so he specifically selected this day and this teaching.  The Archbishop was talking to his staff about feeding Jesus sheep, serving His people, voting for the man as the new Archbishop who God has chosen, the man that will serve God and God’s people and not himself.  It is an appropriate message for us all.  Please pray for the House of Bishops as they prepare to assemble later this month.

We received a text message from Walt saying the team is ready to leave Addis (Ethiopia).  they will arrive only 15 hours late.

Susan and I are ready to head to the airport.

Greetings from Kampala!!

From Cindy May 31

Thursday May 31^th- from Cindy Pennington

Today I traveled from Jinja west back to Kampala (the capital) about a 2 ½ hour ride by SUV.  Our driver is Shalvin; of the Water Missions Uganda staff.  It turns out he is an Anglican and very interesting.  About an hour into our trip, Shalvin said, “See those people walking?  They are walking from Kenya to Namugongo (just outside Kampala) for the Martyr’s Celebration on Sunday”.  Seeing people walking alongside the highway is not something to point out in Uganda, but walking from Kenya?  Sure enough, we passed groups of 10 to 20 people for the next 45 minutes.   Some were holding Kenyan flags; some were holding crosses (like our crucifers).  They all had packs on their backs (not fancy back backs but plastic bags or pieces of fabric stuffed); pilgrims walking to the celebration.  It was truly humbling.   I can’t imagine what Sunday will be like.  I know that God will be glorified!! 

Fifteen kilometers (about 9 ½ miles) east of Kampala city lie the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine where both Anglican and Catholic martyrs were burnt alive on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II in June 1886. The list of forty five known martyrs includes only those who could be formally accounted for, many more murders went unreported and without a record. On 3rd June of every year Christians from all over the world flock to Namugongo to pay their respects and renew their faith by paying pilgrimage to the martyrs.

Wednesday May 30th-from Cindy Pennington After working today at the Water Missions office in Jinja, several of us went to bible study at Calvary Chapel. After church, several of us went out to eat.  What do you think we had in Uganda???? We went to the local Chinese restaurant, of course.  Counter clock wise is: Maria, Accountant for Water Missions Uganda, Jim from Charleston who has been a Water Missions volunteer in Africa for about 3 years, Jessie who is the Calvary pastor, Beth who is Jessie wife (the 2 of them have been in Jinja for I think 13 years), Kelly who is the youth coordinator and been there for about 4 years, Joye (wife of Jim) who is a nurse at Amani Baby Cottage and has been in Jinja for about 1 ½ years, and Susan Morris who works for the Church of Uganda and is the coordinator of our trip on this end. The person taking the picture is Dedy from the Indonesia office of Water Missions.  It was Maria’s first taste of Chinese food.  It was so neat to experience it with her as I have been having many new Ugandan taste treats.

Almost there

God has shown us once again that we are not in control of mission trips.  After a two hour delay in Newark - they couldn't find the trash cans believe it or not - we finally were in our 7 hour flight over the Atlantic.  In Brussels we had an hour and a half layover before our flight to Entebe.  Ooops.  Our flight to Entebe is cancelled.  A 10 hour layover for another flight rerouted to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, so we took a little tour of downtown Brussels.  Wow!  What architecture!  Very nice folks all the way around but a long trip so far.  Eight hour over night again and we are in Addis Ababa now with a three hour wait for the final flight to Entebe.  Everyone is in good health and in good spirits despite the trip being 3 days instead of two.  Can't wait to see Cindy and get to Gulu and get to work!  KEEP PRAYING!  God is good to have us all doing fine.  Pray especially for luggage to make all the changes/transfers.  Our teaching during the mission is discipleship and submitting to God no matter what comes our way so this is a small step in growing us in that direction.

Friday update on trip over

I heard from both Walt and Clair this morning. The flight out of Newark was delayed and the flight out of Brussels was canceled, so they are off schedule but fine. They will now fly out of Brussels at 7PM and through Ethiopia before arriving at Kampala at 1:00 AM Saturday. Last I heard, Walt and Greg were chilling and watching luggage while Karen, Peter and Clair do a quick walk-around tour of Brussels. Keep praying that fatigue and frustration don't cause them to lose sight of the Holy Spirit's leading.

Blessings~
Louise

Beth writes:

Good Morning All:

I have rec'd several text messages from Cindy early this morning. She is doing well, and was headed out to meet with Susan Morrison and Alison Barfoot this afternoon, in anticipation of picking up the rest of the team tonight!

She shared that they have seen pilgrims along the roadways, walking from Kenya, to attend the big worship celebration this Sunday....humbling! Would we do the same?

Prayers for the team as they continue traveling today and into tonight to arrive safely in Entebbe...peace-filled night's sleep tonight!

Blessings,

Beth

 

Monday May 28^th- from Cindy Pennington

Today I had the opportunity to visit this fishing village, Kikando, on the shores of Lake Victoria.  It is a community of about 2000 people that live in close to this boat landing.  I took boat just like one of these, across the lake to the community.  The Holy Spirit is working there.  There are 5 churches/congregations, and 2 primary schools.  However there is a lot of work to do, spiritually and physically.  We walked past more than one group of men who were playing a dice “game of chance”. As the kids were coming home from school (about 4:30 ….and yes they had been in school since 8:00 am) the toddlers were out running around; probably 20% of the kids only ½ clothed and hardly any with shoes on.  Water Missions has a water purification project in this community (the main reason that we went there) and is seeing health improvements already.    What a blessing to walk and interact with the people of Kikando.