Awesome video from Uganda 2010

Keep changing the world…

Church of the Heartland’s mission branch, Project A1:8 has a strong connection and commitment to Uganda, East Africa.  We’ve taken a team of short-term missionaries yearly since 2008.  Check out the video from our 2010 trip.  We love our friends in Uganda and look forward to hosting our third pastors conference in June.  This Saturday, we’ll find out who will be on the Uganda 2011 team.  I can feel my heart rate kicking  into another gear when I start thinking about this year’s team and the awesome things that will happen in people’s lives.  Have I mentioned I love missions?  Yessssssss I do…and if you get a chance to go…you will too!

Let’s keep changing the world by living out our faith, friends!  Check out the beautiful people in this video!

Michele

 

Uganda 2010 team picture

Bujagali Falls at the Nile river

Thoughts from a Uganda 2010 team member

Everything is Mega, Mega!

What a trip!  What a team!

The 2010 Uganda mission team has just returned from an awesome trip.  It was absolutely amazing to see God working in the lives of the Ugandans and in our team as well.  From the moment we stepped off the plane God had a plan for our team.  Everyone on our team stepped right into their giftings, whether it was serving, encouraging, loving people, organizing equipment, to teaching, God used all of us in a “mega” way.  It truly touched my heart seeing our youngest team members Kizzy Schuler and Hagin Hiatt playing day in and day out with our Grace Children’s Home kids.  The joy and smiles that they brought to the children faces will be forever cherished.  A simple act of showing love by playing with the children changed their lives forever.  You are never too small to do something “mega” for God.  People of all ages listen up!  The smallest thing can make the biggest difference in someone’s life.  If you feel like you would never go on a missions trip because you have nothing to offer think again!  Everyone can love.  What are you waiting for?  Get your passport and start saving up.  If you are not able to go there are other ways to be connected to what God is doing in the lives of our Ugandan friends and family.  Keep checking back to our blog for more information regarding child sponsorships and future endeavors to better the lives of our children.  Everything is mega, mega in God’s eyes.

Hope to see you on a trip soon,

Brenda

Team Leaving for Uganda

The departure date for the Heartland team’s mission to Uganda is coming soon!  The team leaves June 7th.  Some will be gone for two weeks, some three, and some for an entire month.  Please keep the team that will be traveling in your prayers, as well as the team in Uganda that is making preparations for our arrival.  We are expecting lives to be changed through this mission trip – on both sides of the Atlantic!  Thanks for your prayers.

Grace Children’s Home Uganda, October Update

We just received the October newsletter from Pastors Williams and Peruth Beshiisha in Uganda.

According to the newsletter, “the vision of Grace Children’s Home was founded in 2008, when Peruth Beshiisha was stage three with cervical cancer and declared cancer free with the help of friends, who neglected her not of her colour and condition she was in.  That birthed a dream to help the children who had no hope and kept flocking in her trash cans to look for leftovers as food to feed on because they had no homes to stay in because their parents died as a result of AIDS and civil wars.  This was one of the ways she could give back to God and those who stood with her.”

How God has tranformed these children!  In the months since the creation of Grace Children’s Home, this is what your giving and the Beshiishas’ faith have helped accomplish:

• the name of the home changed from Grace Orphanage to Grace Children’s Home, as these children are no longer fatherless but part of a family
• a birthday celebration for all of the children, which gives them the feel of a real home full of love and care
• the orphanage as been built and finished – with plaster inside and out, paint, and fixed ceilings
• the children spent their break from school playing with the toys and balls that the missionaries brought
• all children are performing well in school and are now able to read and speak English
• the children are being fed every day, although the country has been experiencing a food shortage

The Beshiishas and their children are believing God for their needs:

• beds for the children’s home (since their mattresses are on the floor)
• furniture for the living room
• sponsors for children who still need support

Remember that you can make a difference in a child’s life by sponsoring him or her with $30 per month for school fees or $50 per month, which will proovide the feeling of home and three meals a day, as well as medication.  A contribution of $80 per month will take care of all the child’s needs.

A word from director Peruth Beshiisha:

“I greet you in the name of Jesus and I am very grateful of your love and releasing the power of God that’s in you to manifest down in Africa as to make a difference in our young generation.

Thank you so much for your financial support, love, and prayer.  The book of Nehemiah speaks of Nehemiah having a dream and it was through teamwork that the dream came true.  Nothing could have been accomplished without your help.

The work is not yet done.  We ought to encourage ourselves to stretch more and accomplish what the Lord wants us to do in these last days.  And we always pray for you that all you have rendered to extend God’s kingdom in the young generation, God will multiply.”

Bless you,

Peruth Beshiisha, Director

How Can I Help?

There are lots of ways to get involved in what God is doing in Uganda.  Williams and Peruth have a vision for a tilapia farm that would provide both food for the children and generate income for Grace International Ministries Uganda.  For more information about where you could give your one-time gift to Project A 1:8, see the “How Can I Help?” page on the right side of the blog.

For more information about sponsoring a child or children who need sponsors, see the “Sponsoring A Child” page.

All donations can be mailed to Project A 1:8, Church of the Heartland, 705 E. Jefferson St., Plymouth, IN 46563.

Uganda Mission Trip Tomorrow!

Following is a list of our Ugandan missions team. Departure date is this Monday, June 8 and through Monday, June 22. Thanks for thinking of us and for your life-giving prayers. Expect to hear suitcases full of stories upon our return!  Too many amazing God moments happen not to share them!!!   Check the blog for updates from Uganda

Grateful for the opportunity to go,

Michele Howard & Uganda ’09 Team

Church of the Heartland

South Bend

Pastor Heath Hiatt

Sarah Fields

COTH Plymouth

Gerald Miller

Chris Miller

Dylan Miller

Cody Clemons

COTH Winamac

Maurice Loehmer

Victory Church

Portage

Jason Armold

Christy Armold

Amy Jasperson

COTH Logan

Ashley Loehmer

Leigh Anne Runkle

Brenda Gaerte

Michele Howard

We have friends, family, pastors and leaders leaving for the nation of Uganda tomorrow! Please keep them in prayer. Here is a list of several things you might bring before the Lord:

· Father, I pray that _________________ will be filled with the Holy Spirit and will daily walk in His power (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16).

· I pray that _________________ will speak the Word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31; Ephesians 6:19).

· I ask that ___________________ will present the gospel clearly to unbelievers (Colossians 4:4).

· Lord, I pray that _______________ would be accepted by the natives, the believers, and the missionaries in the area where they are laboring (Romans 15:30-31).

· God, I pray that You will protect _____________________ from the attacks of Satan and his demons (Romans 15:30-31; 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3).

· Father, I ask that You would open doors and hearts to receive the gospel as _______________ ministers in his/her place of service (Colossians 4:3).

· I ask that You would grant _____________________ peace and assurance about the care of his/her family members that are left at home (1 Peter 5:7).

· Father, I pray that ____________________ would see people and things from Your perspective (Proverbs 3:5).

· I ask that ______________________ would be salt and light to the people to which he/she has been sent (Matthew 5:13-14).

Packing for the Trip

Last Saturday the Uganda team had our last meeting before we leave or our trip on June 8th.  We spent time practicing our dramas, learning new icebreakers to prepare for our kids and youth camps, and being trained to lead and counsel at camp.  We packed a ton of suitcases with gifts and necessities for the orphanage, camps, and leadership conferences.  Here we are doing some serious packing.

For most of us, our favorite part of the training was learning the parachute games!  Our team had so much fun that now we’re even more excited to see the kids in Uganda play with the parachutes.  I had forgotten how much fun this is!

Please continue to pray for us as we make our final preparations!

It’s Getting Closer!

Preparations for the mission trip to Uganda are in full swing. The team is getting shots (which has really tested some people’s faith!), preparing messages and devotions, planning activities for kids and youth camps, and seeking God about the unique role that He wants each person is to play on this trip. It has been such a blessing getting to know some of our new friends and working together as we prepare to touch lives in Uganda and anticipate the changes that God will bring about in our lives as a result of this mission trip. Pastor Jim says, “What God orders, God pays for.” (On the other hand, what you order, you pay for, but that’s a post for another time.) It is so encouraging to hear the stories of God’s provision for the people He has called to be a part of this team and the amazing ways that He makes plans come together in his timing. I believe that the Lord has assembled just the right team for this adventure. Please continue to pray for the mission team and the children, youth, and leaders in Entebbe who will be hearing our message.

Michele

Update on Uganda 2009 Mission Trip

Last Saturday our future missionaries participated in an outdoor training session, where we learned a lot about the Ugandan culture and spiritual climate, practiced traipsing through the woods with our backpacks, sampled some African food, and had many of our questions answered.  It was a great time of fellowship for the mission team.  I am loving getting to know all of the different personalities and gifts that God has assembled for this mission trip!

We would greatly appreciate your prayers for the trip.  Right now we are specifically praying for Williams Beshiisha as he makes our schedule and connections so that we can make as much of an impact on the region as possible.  Pray also for the team members as we are preparing our hearts to do whatever God asks both during the mission trip and in the weeks to come as we get ready.  The focus of the trip is training leaders in children’s and youth ministry, hosting day camps for Ugandan children, and ministering to married couples and leaders in the church.  We are also praying for a special connection with the children in the Beshiishas’ orphanage.

I am extremely blessed and thankful to be part of the amazing Heartland family.  Thank you for your prayers and support, and believe with us for changed lives on both sides of the Atlantic to come from this mission trip.  Start praying about whether God wants YOU to be on the next one!

Michele