GLOBAL ADVENTURES TRIP REPORT - MBALE, UGANDA

Enduring Treasure Ministries

Uganda - JULY 2-14, 2017

On July 2, 2017 our little Enduring Treasure Ministries team of Americans embarked on the trip of a lifetime as we set our eyes on the goal of reaching the community of Mbale in eastern Uganda. Two team members (Dave and Melissa Colburn) were from Cornerstone Baptist Church in Madas, Oregon. The other team members (Joe and Julie Cox, Linda Beaver and Kristie McCaw) were from Calvary Church in St. Peters, Missouri.

The challenges up to this point had been overwhelming and the enemy was at work on all sides. There were problems with funding, problems with visas, major difficulty with booking plane tickets, health issues, scheduling problems and more. However, God confirmed many times along the way that we were to make this trip and so we moved forward, seeing God overcome every one of the obstacles standing in our way. We know now why the opposition was so great.

The following report outlines our activities on the ground in Uganda between our arrival in Mbale July 3 and our departure July 13.

Building Great Teams Seminar (Nabumali village outside Mbale)

Our vision was to train a group of 50-75 local pastors and leaders in the village of Nabumali to increase the effectiveness of their ministry by building strong volunteer ministry teams. By the end of the third day we had well over 200 attending from over 45 churches of multiple denominations. The participants enjoyed the fellowship and interactive training. Throughout our time together many shared how they are looking to implement the principles of “Building Great Teams for Great Ministry” in their individual ministries. We believe God used ETM to bring leaders from so many churches together and that bonds were formed that will continue to develop for God’s glory and purposes. The climax was an altar call given by one of the pastors where we witnessed one of the attendees, a young woman, coming to know the Lord as her personal Savior. A true bonus!

Positive Parenting (Namakwekwe neighborhood in Mbale)

Our Ugandan partners specifically requested we create and present a Bible-based program to provide parenting skills for their people. For six evenings, we shared the principles for families and raising children for the Lord. The enthusiasm grew each night. Over 100 people (men, women, married and single) attended eagerly. Our focus included the responsibilities of the parent, establishing family values, using positive words, offering choices, correcting through appropriate consequences and praying for our children. Many concepts were new for our attendees, but they were eager to try and shared how God was already showing them the benefits in their families.

Introduction to Coaching Course (Namakwekwe neighborhood in Mbale town)

On our previous visits, many of the Calvary Temple staff and leadership team had experienced the benefits of coaching as they met individually with our ETM staff. They were now eager to learn how they can use the Coach Model for discipleship and Christian life development in their individual ministries. Over 75 individuals from various area churches participated in the three-day training and were overwhelmed when they saw God at work in their practice sessions. We anticipate many life-changing conversations to take place as these dedicated leaders implement what they have learned!

Children’s Outreach (Namunsi village outside Mbale town)

Our team offered to develop a fun, creative outreach event for the children in the nearby village of Namunsi on Saturday. Our desire was to work alongside our Ugandan partners to demonstrate for them the ease of such a program and to provide them with supplies so they could duplicate the idea in other village outreach programs. We were told to prepare for 300 children and were overwhelmed when we arrived to find the small church packed with far more! We estimated over 600 children participated in the program along with many parents! Children enjoyed worship, games, a Gospel presentation and a full, nutritious lunch. Many neighbors were drawn in to see what all the excitement was about and we were able to show them love of Jesus by feeding nearly 1,000 people from the community! Of course, the highlight was when the children were divided into five age categories and were carefully presented with the precious message of salvation. Many had NEVER heard the name of Jesus and when they recognized His great love for them expressed through His work on the cross, they were eager to respond. In all, more than 50 began a new life with Jesus. A day for the history books, to be sure.

Family Outreach Visits and School Visits (Nabumali, Namunsi and Namakwekwe)

Neighborhood Outreach (Namakwekwe neighborhood of Mbale town)

On the first night of the Positive Parenting course our team noticed that many children were gathered at the door of the church, eager to meet the Americans. The decision was quickly made that we should take advantage of this opportunity to reach the neighborhood children! Each of the following nights they conducted an impromptu children’s class in the open lot next to the church while the parenting classes went on inside. The kids were ecstatic and eagerly responded to the love that was shown. Ugandans and Americans worked side by side and the children loved the games, songs and Gospel presentations presented each night. Several children responded to the message of salvation by beginning a personal relationship with Christ. The needs of these children are acute. Extreme poverty is only the beginning of their needs. As our team worked each evening with the children, it became apparent that this type of ministry is challenging. Our hope is that this impromptu program will provide inspiration to more Ugandan-led programs for the children who reside in the neighborhood surrounding the church.

Church Services (Nabumali, Namunsi and Namakwekwe)

On Sunday, the ETM team of six divided into three groups so that three churches could be served. In the Namunsi village church, our team broke up once again with one sharing with the adults and one serving the children. In the four services where ETM team members preached, two adults re-dedicated their lives to the Lord and at least five individuals received Christ as Savior. It was a special thrill to see three young Muslim men stand before the church and declare their desire to follow Christ, knowing the high cost of their decision.

Individual Coaching Sessions with Calvary Temple Leaders

Although the focus of this trip was to train others to use the “Coach Model,” it also was wonderful to have opportunity to meet with Ugandan team members and watch God at work. During the course of the last three evenings (during the parenting course), Joe met with seven individuals who had areas of concern in their ministries. Asking powerful questions in a growth-supportive environment resulted in life-changing discoveries that will positively impact the church’s ministry success long-term.

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Bible Distribution

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Blessing Needy Pastors

[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_20" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="C:\Users\Joe\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCacheContent.Word\IMG_9115.jpg" style='position:absolute;margin-left:-4.2pt;margin-top:-1.7pt;width:184.8pt; height:139.2pt;z-index:-2;visibility:visible; mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin' wrapcoords="263 116 263 21019 21249 21019 21249 116 263 116"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Karen\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image005.png" o:title=""></v:imagedata> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="f"></o:lock> <w:wrap type="tight" anchorx="margin"></w:wrap> </v:shape><![endif][if !vml][endif]The staff at Calvary Temple Worship Center serve their church as volunteers, working endlessly and without complaint. Many go without food so that the ministry can grow. They served us so well during our stay from early morning to late at night. The team wanted to say “Thank you” in some meaningful way so we pooled our personal resources and asked the executive pastor to purchase food for the families. On our final night, the Ugandan team was thrilled to receive gifts of rice and “posho” (cornmeal) to bless their families. The food was delivered without fanfare and without any connection to the American team.

This truly has been a life-changing trip, not only for those reached but also for the team members who were able to witness the miracles. God is truly on the move in Uganda and it’s a blessing to be a small part of what He is doing. The local team in Mbale is currently putting together a plan for the future and will be informing Enduring Treasure Ministries about how we can be a part. We count it a privilege to do such deep and rich ministry work. This reminds us of the power of the short-term ministry “Global Adventures” vision – to serve and provide resources to local Christian leaders as they do the work God has called them to do.