Our First Day of Ministry

This morning we arose with smiles on our faces, even though some of the team had trouble sleeping due to jet lag. We started the day with an excellent breakfast and several members of the team experienced African coffee for the first time… YUM!

Our first stop was a church in Mbale. We went in order to teach hygiene lessons to children and their mothers of the Namatala village. Our prayers were answered when the translator overcame the language barrier and the women clearly understood the message we were attempting to get across.

While the hygiene lessons were being taught, a mother walked out of the church with her ill and crying infant. The Lord immediately prompted Kelly Elkins to approach the two and ask to hold the baby and suggest that the mother return to participate in the lessons. As she held the child she prayed that he would come to know the Lord early in his young life and that he would grow up in a Christian home. Morgan soon helped out with another crying baby and rocked and comforted him also taking advantage of the time to pray.

The hygiene lessons went great! The children and mothers learned about germs, the importance of washing hands, and how to do so while using very little water. Cathy, Heidi, and Di did an amazing job presenting the lessons and the mothers were very thankful for the information that will keep their children from getting sick. After singing our group song that we have been practicing for weeks, “Love” by Chris Tomlin, Connie presented the women with the prayer blankets specially embroidered with the Lugandan words “O-kwa-ga-la-kwe” meaning “His love.” The mothers were given enough blankets for every child in their family, along with sugar, flour, soap, mosquito nets and flip flops. The overjoyed mothers expressed their gratitude with loud trilling noises made with their tongues, and headed back home with all their new gifts balanced on their heads.

We headed to Lulwanda Children’s Home and even those of us who were returning from previous years were not sure what to expect. With a heart full of joy, Chrissy got out of the van and began to look for the children she had been exchanging letters with for the past year. She went to the schoolhouse and within a few seconds, the children ran from their rooms and hugged her. Tears began streaming down her face. A child embraced her and wiped the tears from her cheek saying, “It is okay. God loves you.” The rest of the team shared equally moving experiences upon being welcomed with such love.

The rest of our time at Lulwanda was spent getting a tour of the Home, meeting the new staff members, and playing with the children. We only spent a few hours at the orphanage, but we all look forward to having the next week to disciple and to love on these kids.
As far as our team, everything is going very well, and we are looking forward to hut-to-hut evangelism tomorrow. We are so thankful to have such powerful support back at home. Hope all is well in Texas! We miss y’all! J

God Bless,

Chrissy O’Rourke, Kelly Elkins, and Rebecca Marshall