Gabi is changed by the power of prayer!

Gabi loves kids.  That was evident every time we were around one that needed held.  She didn't shy away if the child had no diaper on, nor did she withdraw her hand when dirty fingers sought to be held.  She showed Christ's love to so many that needed it!  I am so glad to read her perspective on this and see how much she was able to see prayer work and understand even more the power that there is in it! 

Gabrielle Sinn:

"I am missing Africa a lot right now as I write this. I want to go back as soon as I can ;)
This trip very much changed my life in so many ways. It really opened my eyes to how much prayer means and how important it really is. I never thought of it as having a lot of importance, but as I watched people's lives be changed right in front of me, because of our prayers for them, it was clear to me. God wants us to have complete faith in Him while we pray and that was shown to me through this trip.
Also, I was reminded of how much I have and how blessed I am. I miss having the beautiful children hold my hands and hug me. I miss being Gods hands and feet. I miss watching people accept Christ into their lives. I miss everything about it. I was completely changed by Africa and the people there. I can't even begin to describe how blessed I feel that God had me planned to be on the trip. I love my team and I can not wait to see what else God has in store for us! I will never be the same!!"

Kendall's heart awakens to a boldness and wisedom she never knew she had!

Kendall, Kendall, Kendall...I luv this girl.  Her heart got such an awakening in Uganda, I can't even describe it.  She has always touched me.  She is a small little thing with a competitiveness you wouldn't believe.  You would never guess her strength unless you saw her in action.  With that kind of determination, coupled with a love for Jesus...watch out!  We witnessed Kendall really getting rocked by the Holy Spirit while on several home visits and the hospital ministry.  It was soooo cool to see her getting worked on in a way that made her bold and wise.  All of the sudden she would just look at me and say, "I have something that I need to say!".  Music to my ears!  I just want to step back and let the Holy Spirit go crazy with that one!  I cannnnnnot wait to see what God is going to continue to develop in that one!

Kendall Snyder:

 

"This trip hit me in so many ways. This was my first mission trip so I had no idea what to expect, but man God has never taught me so much in only two weeks. He taught me stuff way before the trip even started. I went to Leo my first semester of school this year and all of a sudden over Christmas break God was saying to my mom and I that I need to go back to Lakewood. So we listened and I came for the second semester at Lakewood. The first day I started back we had just started reading ‘Kisses from Katie’ which is what inspired this trip. Then we found out that we might have a chance to go on a mission trip to Uganda and it blew me away because I knew I was supposed to go on this trip and that is one reason why God called me back to this school. So God taught me that he knows what He has planned for my life and I just have to listen and obey because I don’t control my life, God does. God is always present and walks us through every moment of our lives.

The first days we were in Uganda I was still a little shy because It was my first mission trip and I wasn’t sure what to do or how to do it. Tina, during home visits and hospital visits, would always have to say “Kendall do you have anything to say?” and then I would finally speak up. After about the 3^rd day Tina wouldn’t have to ask me anymore, God taught me how to be bold. I have never been that bold in my life I had hardly ever prayed out loud or really confess my faith to anyone I didn’t know or that wasn’t a Christian before. So after that day, I was praying or encouraging just about everyone we came in contact with and God just kept surprising me with what I can do if I can just be bold.

Another thing I learned on this trip was how ungrateful I was for my parents. A couple weeks before we left I had noticed really how disrespectful I was being to my parents so I prayed that this trip would really help me to obey them and respect them more when I got back. And that’s exactly what God did. Just about every lady we went to visit didn’t have a husband present or if they did they had one present they were abusive. So all these kids had no father figure or they didn’t have a good fatherly example.  So when I got back home I noticed a huge difference on how I responded and acted towards my parents and our relationship has probably never been better.

The last thing that really struck me was how joyful everyone was in Uganda. These people hardly had any food for the day or no bed or no clothes or no money, but they had Jesus. The girls in the maternity home at Kupendwa, you could see their love for God in the way they worshipped. You could tell the Jesus has filled their hearts and they don’t need material things to be filled. They were always so joyful. So God taught me that when I’m having what we Americans consider a “bad day” be joyful in what we have and just praise God all day long.

This trip has got me on fire for God and I prayed there that it will never burn out. I’m still going strong but I need God’s help every day to keep that fire. Thanks to this trip and my new boldness for God I am getting baptized in August and I can’t wait!!

This trip was the best thing that has ever happened to me, I have countless other things that I have learned but I don’t think I could write about all of them. I love Uganda so much and I can’t wait to go back. I love the friendships that I made and friendships that grew during this trip. I love everyone that we met there, their country, and our team. I could not have asked for a better group of people to go on this trip with me. Thank you to everyone that has prayed and supported us! I love you all" J

Lauri's perspective change that only God could do!

One of the most encouraging people in my life is Lauri Carnahan.  She has stood by me and prayed for me when the pits seemed to want to swallow me.  She has encouraged me like crazy to keep going when ministry was so hard and exhausting.  Her and Dave have always supported Rebel with either sending their kids, themselves or their prayers.  I have taken several trips with her and hope to take so many more as God has taken us on quite a crazy road these past couple of years~! I love doing ministry with her and can't wait to see what God has in store for the years to come!

Lauri Carnahan:

 

My Uganda reflection takes me back to last July as John DeLine and I were discussing the materials I could use in my girl’s ninth grade Bible class. His wife Kathy, along with his daughter and grandson, had been to New Hope in Uganda that summer, and Kathy had a new passion to help the people of Uganda. She had also read the book, Kisses From Katie, an autobiography about how God used a young girl to change several villages near Jinja because she said YES to His work there for her. My daughter had also read and loved that book, so I thought it was a great idea to read it with the girls in my class.

Meanwhile, God was working on my heart. He continued to move me toward His plan for me involving evangelism, and I signed up for a class called Perspectives that was being held at my church. The purpose of Perspectives is to help the students see God’s mandate for the world to know Him and to glorify His name. Right now, there are still 3 billion people who have not heard the Gospel! Every day, 156,000 people die without Christ! God has called all Christians to evangelize the world, and Perspectives class gives students some tools and resources to be a part of His work for the world. “Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we are called to be and do. It is the commission of the Church which gives meaning to all else that is undertaken in the Name of Christ.” (from “The Master’s Plan” in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement text, p. 125)

Right after my Bible students returned to school following Christmas break, I had an assignment for them. Reading an article about the book, My One Word, I decided to have the girls choose just one word, along with a scripture passage, to be their focus for the year. As an example, I chose mine and shared it with them. My word was Perspective. Not only did I choose that word because of the class I had starting attending, but I also wanted to see the world more like Christ sees. I chose the verse: “Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!"  from Psalm 66:5. In choosing this word, I never expected to see all His amazing works that I have experienced!

Following the “My One Word” assignment, the girls and I began to read Kisses From Katie together in class. After reading, the girls were assigned reflection homework on each chapter. The more we read, the more I looked forward to reading their reflections. I couldn’t believe the way God was using this book to change their hearts! Soon, the questions began: “Mrs. Carnahan, do you think we could go to Uganda and help Katie?” “Could we go to Uganda on a mission trip?” At first, I downplayed the questions as spontaneous girls with nice dreams. However, the girls became more adamant with their suggestion, and I began to get emails saying, “Mrs. Carnahan, I really feel that God is asking us to pray about going to Uganda.” So, we started praying, setting aside lunchtime on Wednesdays, sometimes fasting.

I told several friends, including Lindsey Cowart and Tina Gerke, about the idea, and they joined us in praying as well as opening doors to see if we could work with Katie Davis’s ministry in Uganda. One day, Lindsey was talking with a friend from Georgia whose sister started a ministry in Jinja, Uganda, called Kupendwa. Their ministry had just sent out a newsletter with a huge front-page caption, “Servants Needed!” Just as the door had closed to work with Katie (she doesn’t take short-term mission groups), another door had opened. We were so blessed to be the answer to the prayers of Kupendwa Ministries! Our destination was finalized, and the work to raise the enormous funding of the trip began.
 

Another interesting God-thing was that JT King and I both happened to be in the same Perspectives class. I had mentioned to Lee Houtz, my worship pastor, that my Bible class and I were going to go to Uganda, and he told me that JT, his brother-in-law, had been there several times. Wanting more information and knowing that God had just directed me to a great source, I approached JT one night at class. He was so excited about Uganda and couldn’t wait to tell me more or help me share information with the freshmen girls’ parents. I praise God for giving us JT’s knowledge, prayer support, passion and friendship. He was such a huge asset to our group!

Gabrielle soon designed a beautiful shirt for our team. The back of the shirt really encapsulated our team’s motto, one that we had gleaned from Katie Davis: “God is making the impossible possible.” We would never have believed that God would bless us in the way that He has, helping us raise the needed funds to go to Uganda. In addition, we had people volunteer to make pillowcase dresses, crochet washcloths and baby blankets, gather supplies from the hospital, and give us time to share and pray for us. What a supportive and encouraging group we have in the body of Christ!

Arriving in Uganda was so exciting! I knew that God had chosen to send us, and I couldn’t wait to see what He would have us do, who we would meet, and how we would serve. We were able to develop relationships with the girls and their babies at the maternity home, tutor them and help with chores, have worship and devotions with them, teach in a primary school, talk and pray with ladies in the hospital and in home visits, be excited with children at kid’s clubs, encourage a congregation in an island church, repair a mud hut for an elderly woman, “dig” out the weeds in a woman’s garden, and paint and plaster a home of a woman caring for an invalid child. Our team incredibly was able to lead 23 people to Christ!

The one story that impacted me the most was a home visit to the woman that I sponsored through Kupendwa back in February. Her name is Nora, and she now has 3 children. Her husband is often gone as he looks for work, so she is alone to care for her family with very little money. Her home is in the slum village called Railways where she lives in a concrete compound about 8 x 10 with no windows. Nora is a believer, and she explained to us how often she prays and how much she loves God. She prayed to God to heal her baby because Nora could not afford to take her to the hospital. God healed her! When she has no money for food for her children, she prays. She told us, “If I eat, I glorify God. If I don’t eat, I glorify God.” What an amazing lesson in faith, gratitude and love for her Savior!

The relationships we built there will always be a part of my heart. In saying yes to God regarding serving in Uganda, God has changed my perspective! He has helped me to see the world, and it’s need for Him, in a way that I had never seen before. He has blessed me with more love, more compassion, and more passion for Him and for His people. I am excited to see what He has next for me and for the rest of our team. We were all changed...we will never see Him the same again.

 

LC...constant obedience lands her right where God wants her

If you haven't had the opportunity to meet our "LC" there surely is a piece of puzzle missing to your life.  She makes everyone smile and laugh and laugh and.....laugh.  She came from southern Georgia with an accent to match and fit herself right into this little community.  Her obedience to God is something that constantly makes me want to continue growing and seeking Him more.  Her story is awesome as she recounts the past 2 years of when God first started moving her.  You can so clearly see God's Hand moving her right where He wanted her.  We are all so thankful that it was here!  you see when the call came to go to Africa, LC immediately thought of her friend who had a sister who started a ministry over there...you guessed it, Amy Washington with Kupendwa!  and the rest is history.  Here is her perspective on God working in crazy ways for these past 6 months!

Lindsey Cowart (LC):

Looking back over 2013, I still can’t help but be amazed at the sovereignty of God. When this year began, I had no clue how God would use me to help others and then use others to help me. Through the relationships built and connections made with others, I see God piecing together His plan for the lives of His children! As I journeyed from Georgia to Jamaica and then to live with a family in Indiana and then onto Africa to work with Kupendwa Ministries with a team especially handpicked by God was all God’s creative orchestration! Yes, there were times of confusion, doubt, and frustration and questioning what He was doing or where He was in the doing, but just in His perfect timing, He confirmed His presence along the way! Through this whole adventure, He has taught me to trust Him more and more!

Why, the scripture Ezekiel 36: 25-27, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” became so powerful and meaningful – especially in the two week missions trip in Africa!

Being with a team for fourteen days in a new environment and experiencing unusual circumstances can be a bit challenging. The places we went, the things we saw often seemed so overwhelming. We were often tired and our guard many times dropped as our own strength wore down. Upon seeing the brokenness and hurt all around us, I was reminded of just how weak and sinful my own heart is. However, it is still humbling to know that in the midst of my weaknesses and struggles, God still sees me fit to fulfill His purpose! Stepping onto the soil of Africa which is inhabited by so many young women who share story after story of the uncertainty of what they would eat, or how they could provide for their families continues to wrench our hearts. During moments when there was a loss for words, I would find myself crying out to God lifting up their situations or begging for some words of encouragement for our team to offer! The same scripture that reaches in and speaks of hope and light into even the darkest part of my life is the same that we had opportunity to share with many of the women and girls in Uganda. Knowing God’s word does not go void, I can rest assured that every encounter was a divine appointment.

I realize that I was there to assist others even though I had no idea how to be of much help. I only wanted to be used by God. My struggles were nothing in comparison to the hardships these beautiful women face daily. I was overwhelmed and really began to seek out God’s instruction for what my mission was there. I was struck with a deep sense of guilt for not having the grateful heart these people have. In comparison to them, I realize I have everything. I have God, my health, food each night, and a clean place to live. They have God and for this only were they filled with gratitude. I asked, “God why do I have so much more to be grateful for, but I am not as grateful as they?” Through this, I am able to see my sinfulness, wickedness, and hardened heart. I became very sad about the person I have become and saw a great need for change inside of my heart. My need, I realized was just as big as the people’s need who live in the African village. It is a spiritual hunger only God can fill. This trip to Africa has been a big stepping stone in my journey with God. I am able to see what all God has bestowed upon my life and be grateful, indeed. I thank God daily for showing this to me and allowing me to continue to grow from the realization. From this trip, God has cleansed my heart and renewed my spirit. I pray I may continue to walk uprightly with a willingness to serve others and to continue to grow spiritually as I serve Him!

Kayla Hess...A calling, An answer, A changed Life!

It was so great getting to know Kayla on this trip.  She was so great with all the girls in the home and I think even fell asleep with one of the babies while cuddling.  She worked without complaining even when heat overtook her!  Lucky her, she brought a little prize home from Africa (Malaria!).  Even during this trial, her smile was huge and you could see her just trusting God through it...here is her perspective:

Kayla Hess:

There are some things that God engraves on our hearts that we don't understand at the time, and six months ago, that was this overwhelming passion for missions work, specifically in Uganda, Africa. I had absolutley no idea why God was sending me to this third world country on this poverty stricken continent, but God knew exactly what He was doing, and He knew that He was going to use me to not only reach others, but also teach me things that I didn't know about myself. Leaving the United States and heading to Jinja, Uganda is quite the culture shock, and I think the thing that really made an impact on me was that everyone in Uganda, through all their troubles and trials, were some of the friendliest and most joyful people you will ever meet. They didn't have much, but what they did have they were beyond grateful for. They show their appreciation for everything people do for them. They are willing to give whatever they have, even if it's not much, just to show how thankful they are for you. I'm guilty of being ungrateful and unappreciative of everything I have, when in reality, I own far and beyond what I would ever need. I learned to be grateful, appreciative, and content with what I have. Looking back, I realize exactly why God sent me on this trip - to open my eyes to the world around me. I am beyond blessed, and I thank God everyday for finally showing me how blessed I am to live the life that I have. God is so, so good.

Haiti and when God says no...

Today was a crazy day.  It started with a  phone call from our travel agent stating that the team that has a flight from Miami to Port Prince, Haiti will no longer be able to go.  "Excuse me, did you just say what I think you said?"  She said that the flight was not only cancelled but was not rescheduled for days.  no problem...one or two days is not a big deal....NO, tina, I mean more like 5-7 days. 

What was crazy about all of this was there was never a panic moment...It was like God kept reminding me that HE knew, He orchestrated anyhow, and the change of plans on our end simply was His plan all along.  My heart immediately went to the team members whose hearts were set on Haiti.  But their reaction is one we only can pray will happen.  They were great.  I am sure there is some disappointment, but how they have handled it shows their true hearts to just go where and when HE says to. 

After talking with Kiley about options, Teresa Knoblauch (Kiley's Wife) and I decided to research some options...Jamaica was one and staying in Miami was the other.  Coming home was never one...let me assure you.  the peace that God has put this team together for a mission week of serving was still the calling and we were focused now on finding out what God had planned.  Jamaica looked favorable until we found out the tickets wouldn't transfer and it would cost a lot more to go.  Teresa had found several ministries but decided on who to call first.  It was just like God to give her favor on the first try!  I get a call that says that she talked to a lady who was awesome and was willing and able to help with housing and had ministry for them all week.  after looking at their website and getting chills, Teresa and I both felt strongly that this was going to be the place.  the no brainer came when we were informed that the community tht they would be doing ministry in was "LITTLE HAITI"  yes you just read that right!!!  And if they could get there by 3pm they could start today on the project that was going on.  Kiley texted and said that there was a possible flight tomorrow for Haiti that they might wait for.  I started praying that God would show him what to do, and just like that he texted and said that God was speaking to him and he was in tears and they were staying in Miami.  The airlines are honoring their trip home and the refund from the base in Haiti will be in full so that there will be no added expenses. 

I have to tell you that I am a bit jealous.  God's Hand has them so right where He wants them and they get this crazy awesome opportunity to see the immeasurable happen this next week.  Their obedience is just awesome!  These are the weeks we leaders pray and pray for!!  I am soooo excited to see how God is going to use them to build relationship and take the Word of Jesus to Miami!!!!  updates will follow of just how God rocks them and stories come in!!  Please keep praying for this!!

Pray also for Haiti (the real one) and Jamaica....the storm will hit both of them and so many people I love are on that Island (Jamaica)

Uganda from Megan's Eyes....

I was thinking today about how we have been home for 1.5 weeks already...It seems like a year ago, but at the same time, I still can remember the girls' excitement as we loaded up and headed to the airport.  as I got a chance to get to know them all so much better on the trip, there was one above all of them that gave me a run for my money.  Megan!  She was just as lippy as me and at times had such good comebacks, she made me speechless ;)  ... with all of that said, she was great to have on the team!  She got sick 2 of the days and fought back hard.  she loved on all the people there and was so much fun to have around...God has got a special place for her, and it will be incredible to see what and where in the next few years!

Megan Fisher:

This trip has opened my eyes to how much we need to show kindness. We don't know what people may be going through in their life and one mean or sarcastic thing you say/ do might change everything.
God is showing me how much prayer and reading the Bible is so important. He has been showing me things that I have never saw before and opening my eyes to things that I missed.
I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to go on this trip with 12 other amazing people that all have impacted me in different ways and changed my life along with everyone that is involved with Kupendwa Ministries! So thankful to call you all family!