2/22/11 Update!

Greetings! I'm happy to report the Lord has given me more of a vision of what my job description really entails. Brent left for South Africa this morning because Watoto is assisting them set up a Watoto model there in Cape Town. Monday we worked out a tentative plan that while he was away, I would work with another individual named Tom in Facilities Management. So today we began the first phase in this huge project. What needs to be done is this: 1. We carry out a full evaluation of all the homes in the villages, primary, and secondary schools, teacher apartments, maintenance buildings, ect... 2. As we do this evaluation, we are inspecting the homes entirely. So today, Tom and I began in Suubi village. There are nine homes in each cluster. Each cluster is numbered and each house is numbered. So we've created a massive spreadsheet to record the data on what needs to be repaired in each home. We then prioritize each need accordingly. This gives us the opportunity to interact and form relationships with the house mother's and children as well, which is where my passion lies. We are trying to allow them to see we truly care and the goal is to try to educate them on how to take ownership of their homes. Once we gather all the data, I will write up a detailed report. Once this is done, we will estimate the cost of material and order the work to be done. That's it in a nutshell. However, there are three villages total in Kampala and one in Gulu with several clusters of homes, schools, and Watoto buildings in general. Additionally, there are teacher apartments, volunteer apartments, medical facilties, ect...all needing maintenance. I'm excited that the Lord is allowing all the pieces to gradually come together into what is really an exciting project.

Today in the village I sat down on the stairs to jot down a few notes on the last house and here "white folk" are called "Mosoongooes" So I hear three children a ways away begin smiling and talking amongst each other saying, "Mosoongoo, Mosoongoo." A little girl made eye contact with me and walked right up into my lap and gave me a huge hug and smiled from ear to ear. She followed me around for awhile after that and held my hand around the village. It was the sweetest thing!

The Lord has blessed me so much since I've been here! He's given me amazing friends! My friend Barbara and I continue to cut up and kid around all the time. She's truly a blessing and a treasure! It truly is amazing the difference one connection in a foreign land makes. The Lord works miracles in one's spirit!

Today, yet again the Lord's hand of mercy was upon Barbara and I. We were out in the village fairly all day and she received a phone call around 1 or 2pm stating there was a bomb threat at Watoto Church where our office is. Suubi village is about an hour away from the church and it ended up being nothing to be concerned about. However, the Lord is good and we picked a good day not to be in the office. He's really given me such an amazing peace! Even in hearing about that, I prayed in my spirit for the Lord to take care of it and went on trusting.

Please continue praying for my physical health, I was down last Sat. but by Sunday I was in church dancing for Jesus again! I absolutely love the enthusiasm and energetic worship! Just the genuiness of it and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Pray for supernatural wisdom to do His will in the mission He has for me to do here.

I love you all!!!

Second Update from Uganda!

Hello! I am happy to report I purchased a new wireless modem internet device today where I can have internet anywhere. I'm still adjusting to the new technology here and trying to figure out how its all set up. I wanted to post a prayer request. This Friday in Uganda is Election Day. They are voting on a new president. There should be no problems, however, please pray for the safety of the nation. Friday is declared a public holiday so we return to work on Monday and leave early today, Thursday. The Lord has been so gracious to me and has placed such a joy in my spirit. Although sometimes the enemy tries to plant seed thoughts of discouragement, I counteract them in the Spirit with the truth of His Word. I know He has called me here and I'm standing on the truths that:

1. He will meet all my needs according to His riches in glory

2. He will equip me to do His will (in all things)

3. My confidence is in Him

At times its difficult for me to sit back, observe, and study the way things are done here because I'm such the type of person who is driven, motivated, and hardworking that I desire to jump in and serve with all my heart. So at times I feel like I'm not doing much of anything yet, however, I know it will take time and that I'm to be patient and not set high expectations of myself to learn everything instantly. Please pray with me in regard to that!

First Update from Uganda!

Today is the first day I've had internet available. I'm currently at the Watoto office sitting at my new desk :-). Brent had me move some things out of another office into his office so I just finished doing that for him. The past two days have been amazing! My first night was a little tough in that I didn't sleep all night and missed home. However, the Lord is good and He knew exactly what I needed. About 5am Brent walked by my room and called my name because he had lost his bag full of clothes. Of course I wasn't asleep so we talked for a bit and he asked if I wanted to call home. That was a blessing and helped me. I have been praying and trusting that the Lord will meet all my needs according to His riches in glory as Scripture says. That verse and the verse in Heb. 13:20 that states that the Lord will equip me to do His will are the theme verses I've been standing on. The first night, I had asked the Lord to help me make friends. The very next day, which was Saturday, Brent arranged for Moses and I to go to the airport to pick up the bag Brent had left behind with his clothes in it. So we got to spend some time together. The airport was in Entebee, which is about an hour away from Kampala. Then later that afternoon I met Barbara and I rode with her to Suubi village, the village we built in last trip. She is in charge of the agriculture/farming in sustainability here. She is my age, beautiful girl. We really are a lot alike and became instant friends. We talked a lot about dating, relationships, and found out about each other. I told her I could play guitar and the drum. She told me she could hook me up with the worship team in Watoto Church. She told me how it was set up on a rotational schedule. Each team leads every service on Sunday, and each week they rotate. Then when it's your turn again you can choose to remain on the same worship team or switch to another one. She said I could start small, leading worship for cell groups and/or Bible studies, then branch out from there. We also talked about our living situations. She has been house hunting for awhile now and asked if we could work it out with Brent if we could be room mates. Right now she lives a little drive away so she has been staying at the guesthouse where I'm at so she doesn't have to drive back and forth. She said a house would probably be much cheaper than the volunteer apartments. We could also spit the cost, which would be nice also. So be praying that works out just as it should. She also invited me to what they called a Valentine Beach Bash Sunday afternoon after church on Lake Victoria. It was an event advertised by Watoto church. There is a Christian radio station called Power FM and about every month they have a large dance party. How bout that...a Christian environment where they get together and dance the night away for the Lord. :-) That was basically what it was. It was held at a Wildlife center where there were all sorts of animals such as zebras, giraffe's, gazelle's, monkies ect. The monkies cracked me up they would follow you around and try to grab your food. They took off with another ladies popcorn, Julia, who went with us to the party. It was hilarious. Then the wildlife keepers brought out a python snake and was showing everyone. I didn't bring my camera but wanted to take a picture to show dad with the caption.."Look what I found in the bush." Haha.. So Barbara and I walked the trail and looked at the animals and then the dance began. We danced for awhile and danced in a large circle and some of the Africans would take turns, one at a time, dancing in the center. Barbara wanted me to go, so I got in the center and did my prom dance move and they all yelled. Pete, you know which one I'm talking about ;-) It was fun. I told Barbara and Julia after Julia said, "Wow, this girl can dance," that see white people can dance too..haha. Then they had a bonfire later on the beach and danced around it. We did the limbo. Later they had a movie, but we went ahead and left. Saturday evening we attended Watoto Church Central and it was amazing! I was pretty tired though during the service because I hadnt slept in about three days though,but it was still fun. Then Sunday morning Watoto Church North had just opened their new church so they held the first service there. It was an outdoor ampitheater type building. I love their worship services! They are so uplifting and energetic. Right up my alley :-) Then Sunday afternoon was the party. So today I'm at the office for the first part of the day. I rode in Barbara. Then later I will meet up with Brent and we are probably going to tour around the facilties to get an idea of what needs to be fixed. I will hopefully be getting my sim card soon so I can make calls and getting an internet device where I can get internet anywhere. That way I can commuicate more often.

How are you guys? Let me know what's going on. I love you all!

Packing Need List

Greetings! If anyone is interested in purchasing any of the items below, I have posted a need list. Instead of buying gifts that I probably could not take with me to Uganda for my going away party at Selmore from 2-4 on 2/6/11, I thought if anyone would be interested in providing practical items I could take with me would be more feasible.

Tylenol (3 boxes)
Anti-diarrhea medication (3)
Sunscreen (5 bottles)
Mosquito spray (with deet that can be directly applied to skin) 2 cans
Deodorant (Suave) 3
Opti-free soft contact solution (1o small bottles)
Opti-free rewetting soft contact drops (3 small bottles)
AA batteries
Purell small bottles
Travel size kleenex's

If this is an area you feel led to respond to, I would deeply appreciate your generousity. May God bless you!

Leaving for Uganda (Update)

Greetings!

I pray this letter finds you resting, trusting, and growing in the Lord. With much enthusiasm, I write to inform you that I have finally received a date to leave for Uganda, Africa. I will be flying out of Springfield 2/10/11 at 10:06am. I will be flying from Springfield to Atlanta, Georgia, then into Amsterdam, and finally into Entebbe, Africa. I will be traveling with the International Director of Watoto Ministries, who has been assiting my preparation stateside. I will be returning to the States 12/9/11 so I will be able to celebrate Christmas and New Years with my family here. Praise God!

I have a few changes to inform you of as well. Regarding funding, I currently have a little over $8 in upfront cost. I have been pledged $325 a month from various individuals. My home church continues to challenge members to give at least 1/4th of my monthly expenses, which equals $500 per month. Although I do not currently have the total monthly amount, I am completely trusting in the Lord's providence and believe wholeheartedly that He will provide! The financial goal of raising a total of $2000 still remains and is currently still a major need. If you sense the Lord leading you to assist in this area, below is an example of a pledge card and I would encourage you to respond as the Lord leads and mail the pledge card along with your financial gift to:

Selmore Baptist Church
4768 Selmore Road
Ozark, MO 65721

Charity Gray/Watoto

Pledge Card

Check the appropriate line(s):

_____ I pledge to regularly pray for Charity

_____ I pledge to financially support Charity

for a period of one year

Amount: $10 $25 $50 $100 Other $_____

Per: Week Month

_____ I pledge to financially support Charity

as God makes funds availabe to me

Name: __________________________

Your name will remain confidential!

Also, from this point forward, ALL financial gifts need to be mailed directly to Selmore Baptist church and not sent to my personal address. All checks submitted to Selmore Baptist Church must have written in the memo line: Uganda, East Africa Watoto Mission. Once financial gifts are received, Selmore will directly transfer those funds into my personal account so that I may access my funds via debit card while residing in Uganda. If you have already made a monthly commitment to give a set amount per month or haven't yet made a monthly commitment and feel so led, please mail the above pledge card with your pledge amount to Selmore Baptist Church by the 15th of every month. This is to make sure all contributions are submitted by a certain date so that Selmore can then make one deposit per month and get all the funds to me in an organized, timely fashion. Also, I will know when to expect these funds so that I may prepare, budget, and plan accordingly so I am able to be a good steward of the money the Lord is blessing me with.

Last but not least, I am in need of purchasing a new 13 inch Mac laptop for job related duties while in Uganda and also for personal use to maintain communication back home. The estimated cost is between $1000-$1500. I do have the amount saved in my personal account, however, due to the fact that I do not yet have the full amount of monthly pledges, Watoto is hesitant about withdrawing money from that account at this point. This is because the upfront cost I have saved will have to roll over into the amount I need monthly until I can reach the ultimate goal of raising $2000 per month. If this is an area you feel led in assisting with, please write at the bottom of the above pledge card when you mail it in that you desire your financial gift to go toward the cost of the laptop.

Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for your continued prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts! May the Lord bless you richly!

Target Date

Greetings! I have a target date as to when I may possibly be leaving for Uganda...2/10/11. There is still much to do on both sides to get me there by then, however, I'm fully trusting the Lord and know it will be exactly the right time. Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement, and financial support! God Bless!

Assistance needed in childcare

Greetings! If anyone from Selmore is willing and available to help watch the children during the Freedom in Christ Bible study beginning 1/18/11 through 5/3/11 from 6:30-8:30pm every Tuesday evening, please let me know. It doesn't have to necessarily be one person. If a few could help tag team because 16 weeks is a large commitment it would be much appreciated! God Bless!