Multiplied Mercies

One week ago I returned home from my second trip to Uganda. I have spent the week unpacking, tending my flower and vegetable gardens, and trying to get back on a decent sleep schedule. I don’t know why sleeping through the night is so difficult after that trip, but it seems my fellow travelers were all affected similarly.

Gardening time is also my thinking and praying time, so amidst bean picking and weed pulling I have contemplated blogging. Last year I blogged a day by day journal, which took a long time and, I’m afraid, tried the patience of both myself and my readers. So I have decided to approach it a little differently this time, and perhaps give you a better insight into the Ugandan culture, including what I learned from it, and how our ministry worked within it. So far I am planning six posts, but stay tuned...it could be more or less, depending on how the Spirit leads!

In order to have a reference point for future posts, I will introduce you to our team and outline our itinerary in this first post. God multiplied the number of team members from four last year to 18 this year,


















eleven of us from my home town!
















While each of us participated in every activity to some degree, I will state the main focus of responsibilities for each team member. We couldn’t have had a better or more diverse team! The entire group worked well together and complemented each other in so many ways. We all remained basically healthy throughout the trip, thanks to many prayers and also the care of our medical team members. God was indeed merciful in keeping us all safe and healthy.

Jan Ross (Ohio)-founder of Heart of God International Ministries

Jeanice Coffell (Illinois)–co-founder of Heart of God International Ministries

Denise Matthews (California)–HGIM Director of East Africa Ministry –put the entire trip together!

Mark Matthews (California) –HGIM East Africa Men’s Ministry Director –planned Pastors conference

Me, Sharlyn Guthrie (Iowa) –HGIM East Africa Education Director –planned teacher conference and educational activities, worked with children at Smile Africa

Ben (California) –spoke at pastors conference and teen rally

Sylvia (California)–worked with children at Smile Africa

Scott (Texas)–spoke at pastors conference and remained in Uganda when the rest of us returned home

Aaron (Iowa)–spoke at pastors conference and teacher conference

Andrea (Iowa)–participated in teacher conference, planned educational activities, worked with children at Smile Africa

Wendy (Iowa)–participated in teacher conference, planned educational activities, worked with children at Smile Africa

Norma (Iowa)–participated in teacher conference, planned educational activities, worked with children at Smile Africa

Jane (Iowa)–treated and immunized children at Smile Africa and other schools

Cheryl (Iowa)–treated and immunized children at Smile Africa and other schools

Paul (Iowa)–spoke at pastors conference

Michelle (Iowa)–assisted with teacher conference, worked with children at Smile Africa

Emily (Iowa)–worked with children at Smile Africa, participated in teen conference
Courtney (Iowa)–worked with children at Smile Africa, participated in teen conference

God also multiplied our ministries through the special Ugandans we met last year, who brought us into contact with even more fellow believers and their ministries this year. Instead of three schools, we were involved with five. Instead of one church, we were involved with four. In addition to the seven teachers of Smile Africa, God allowed us to minister to 100+ teachers from both private and government schools. Besides the three pastors we met last year, God gave us over one hundred in attendance at the Pastor’s conference. We even had four more days added to our itinerary this year.

Itinerary:

June 19-20 –Travelled from Chicago to Entebbe, via Amsterdam. Stayed in Lubowa Cottages and Gardens













June 21 –Travelled from Lubowa to Tororo
June 22 –Women worked at Smile Africa, men began the Pastors Conference















June 23 –Nurses, Sylvia, and Teens returned to Smile Africa, Men continued on with their conference, Wendy, Norma, Andrea, Michelle, and I prepared for and began teacher conference.



























Joy measured all of us for dresses and shirts.
June 24 –same jobs as previous day
June 25 –Women worked at Smile Africa, men went to final day of Pastors conference. Women joined them at the end, sharing in the Lord’s table.


















Denise and I were interviewed by the local radio station, concerning both conferences.
June 26 –Teen Rally
















June 27 –Village Churches (we split into three groups, with each group attending a different church (Pastor Stephen’s, Pastor Amos’s, and Pastor Phillip’s)















In the afternoon we visited the Smile Africa Widows’ Shop
June 28 –Travelled to King’s Primary School in Bunambutye to watch their program, do classroom activities and hand out mosquito nets and bananas.














Visited Royal Palace Primary and Nursery School on the way home. Had dinner at Pastor Ruth and Basil’s house. Joy delivered tailor made clothing when we returned to the hotel.
June 29 –Said our goodbyes and travelled back to Lubowa Cottages. Stopped at the Source of the Nile for sightseeing and shopping.















Attended Saphan’s church service in the evening
June 30 –visited the women’s prison, dividing into four groups














July 1 –Spent the day at Early Learning Center. Children put on a program for us,














then we split up into five groups and spent time in each family group, eating lunch with the first group, then doing activities with each of the others.
July 2 –Spent the morning packing, had a visit from Sarah (a girl from home who lives in Kampala), went to Agnes’ home for a large, delightful lunch.













From there we visited Saphan and Alex's home, then went to the airport and waited for our 10 p.m. flight to Amsterdam.
July 3 –We had a 6 hour layover in Amsterdam before our flight to Chicago. We said our goodbyes, then loaded up in our two vehicles to drive five hours back home to Iowa.

Yes, God’s mercies were new every morning and throughout each day of this trip. He provided in ways that amazed and encouraged not only our team, but all of those to whom we ministered. He proved His character over and over again.

I was reminded today in the message I heard at the Austin Stone (we are in Austin, TX visiting our son, Travis, and his family) that acting on ones faith often results in great blessings such as we experienced on this trip, but according to Hebrews 11 it can also result in great trials and what many of us would term, "misfortunes." (Hebrews 11:35-37)

God is good, and my faith in Him is worthwhile, not because my trip to Uganda can be termed successful -that is simply grace. He would still be good, and my service to Him worthwhile, if I had suffered injury, imprisonment, loss of health or even loss of life during my travels, because neither Iowa or Uganda are my home. I am "...longing for a better country, a heavenly one." (Hebrews 11:16)

It was affirming to hear this message today, because I know that some have regarded going to Uganda on a missions trip as dangerous and even reckless. I prefer to think of it as being bold in faith (although I have never thought of myself as particularly courageous!).

On two occasions when I told two separate Christian leaders that I was planning to go to Uganda their response was, "why in the world would you want to do that?"

It is a good question, and one that I have pondered much. My answer is simply this, "because God gave me the opportunity and put it on my heart to go. His love compels me." I have never regretted my decision, nor will I ever regret it, whatever the outcome in this life. God's mercies here and in Uganda are only a taste of what awaits me in that heavenly country I already call "Home."

I hope that over the next few weeks you will enjoy reading my musings on how God’s bountiful mercies have been displayed and how they continue to multiply. My next post will be about homes and families in Uganda, and will be titled, "Home is Where You Tie Your Goat."

Postscript on Uganda: What Now?

Postscript: What Now?

I am thrilled now to fill you in on many exciting developments since my return from Uganda. First of all, after purchasing bananas for two schools, food and soap for many families in the slums, 300 Bibles for King’s Primary school, and clothing for all of the Smile Africa children, I still had around $350 remaining in my Heart of God account! After discussing it with my husband, John, we decided to take a step of faith and arrange through Heart of God to provide fruit to the children of Smile Africa once a week for as long as God provides the funds to do so. July and August have now been covered, and we are trusting that others will want to join us in continuing this ministry to the children throughout the year. More than just a feeding program, these children will be assured each time they are given fruit to eat that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light, who never changes.” If you would like to be part of this ministry, please see the details at the end of this post.

I would also like to see that the children continue to get adequate clothing, and possibly even shoes throughout the year. This will need to be researched, in order to decide the most efficient way of doing this, but money will be needed, regardless of the method. The money will either be used for the actual clothing, or for shipping donated clothing from the U.S. The same details at the end of this post apply to donations for provision of clothing.

Another exciting development is that Heart of God, Uganda has offered me the position of education director, and I have accepted. I will be working alongside Denise, the director of Heart of God, Uganda, to put together a team of teachers to return to Uganda next summer to train and encourage the overburdened teachers there. So what I want from all of you teachers out there is prayer, practical suggestions for materials and teacher’s conference topics, as well as prayerful consideration about joining us for this next trip in June of 2010. We are also planning two other components of our 2010 trip: a men’s conference, and a teen rally. How exciting!

Since our return Pastor Ruth has forwarded many pictures and sent many updates and developments. She delivered clothing and our gifts to the family in the slums.














The children at Smile Africa all received new clothes from the bales we purchased!
















Pastor Ruth has taken in ten elderly widows whose homes had crumbled, and who needed help. They were given some of the mats to sleep on, as well. These women are eating at Smile Africa and they are also helping as they are able with the children.

The children are using the mats that were purchased for resting, and are enjoying their weekly servings of fruit.


Through Heart of God International Pastor Ruth has partnered with World Vision to provide surgery for a little boy who was born with his bladder on the outside of his body. This will most likely save his life and make caring for him much easier.

As might be expected, Satan is active, and trying to interfere with God’s work in Uganda, just as He is anywhere. Kings Primary School has experienced recent personnel difficulties, Pastor Ruth and Grace have both had the flu, and Pastor Ruth had a serious infection from a cut on her foot. Alex was injured when she fell off a motorcycle while going to visit her parents. The father of the child needing surgery has tried to intervene and block the surgery because he believes the mother will benefit from it somehow. Although he has never provided for the child, he went so far as to kidnap him and the mother, holding them against their will until the police were called. If we came away with one notion, it is that life is fragile and often brief in Uganda. Half of the population of the country is under the age of fourteen. This fills me with a sense of urgency. Even one year from now we will no doubt witness many losses and changes among those we came to know and love.

I tell you these things to remind you to pray for Music pastor, Stephen and wife Mary; for Pastor Ruth, her family and staff; for the children and widows of Smile Africa; for Kings Primary School; for Agnes and the Early Learning Center; for Saphan and Alex; for Pastor Stephen and Rosalyn, their four children, and the seven boys they are caring for, as well as for their church and nursery school. I also elicit your prayers on behalf of Heart of God International as we come alongside these brothers and sisters in Christ to assist and encourage them.

If you are moved to give toward providing fruit or clothing for the children of Uganda please send your gifts to: Heart of God International Ministries, Uganda
P.O. Box 248
Willard, OH 44890

Be sure to designate your gifts for “fruit and/or clothing for Uganda.”