Student Missions Adventures

Snapshots of Ecuador

2011-08-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Praying together at the Mission House in Cuenca.

Sam and Emma dominating in Golf. :)

Pastor Santiago Gomezcoello hung two swings for us!

Playing Minute to Win It games together. Kevin won, but Abbie gave him a run for his money!

Ruth and Abbie enjoying our first Ecuadorian meal.

Cece, one of our new Ecuadorian friends!

Isaiah won the pencil game!

Trying to move a marshmallow from your forehead to your mouth is harder than it looks!

Emma, Hannah, Megan and Abbie...

Awkward balloon, awkward starfish, awkward palm tree, awkward turtle. And yes, they know how to say all of those in Spanish. :)

Hannah and Melody. No more needs to be said. ;)

Trying to stay warm!!

Goofy girls! Emma and Hannah.

Abby dos, Emma, Hannah and Abbie uno.

A highschool in Cuenca. The worst highschool in the area. One of the Ecuadorians at our camp attends this school. We are all learning that struggles and frustrations are the same at schools around the world.

The flower market.

Watching street performers in Cuenca!

2011-08-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

Melody on the steps of the Cathedral in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Bracelets at the ¨hippie market¨ in Cuenca.

Drew and Andrew inside the Cathedral in Cuenca.

Megan rocking the golf ball game during training.

Sam and Seth made a bet. Seth lost.

And he ate that.

The sky was gorgeous and clear one night. Ecuador is a beautiful country.

Hello family and friends!
Some of you have already received emails from your children and have heard some of
the news, but we wanted to share some photos and stories from the perspective of the
leaders.
Our trip to Ecuador was smooth and uneventful... Until we heard there was a bus strike
in Cuenca. We were planning to take the bus to Cuenca, and once that was no longer
an option we had to change our plans, obtain three vans for our group an then find our
non-English speaking drivers at the Guayaquil airport.
Everything turned out absolutely fine, and we had a safe trip to Cuenca. The three days
in Cuenca were spent exploring, shopping and experiencing new things.

On Sunday we left for the camp in the mountains. We were all pretty tired. Sme of us
were dealing with altitude sickness and others with a head cold that is making the
rounds among the group. Of all the things we brought with us from the states the head
cold is one I would've much preferred we had left behind!
It took us a few days to adjust to the altitude, the cold weather, the electric water heater
in the shower head and rice at every meal. Some of us are still adjusting and some of
us are going on a rice strike. :)
Our Ecuadorian friends have been so eager to accept us and everyone has worked
hard at communication. We are grateful to have Megan on our team and have really
appreciated her translation skills. Many of the Ecuadorian students can communicate
well in English, so between our few Spanish words and their skills we are making
friends and building relationships.
We have all enjoyed the sunny afternoons and a few trips into the surrounding
mountains. There is even a fort in progress near our camp that showcases the
teamwork that is so evident among the team.
Our students (your dear friends and family) have been amazing. There is a spirit of
adventure and willingness to learn and participate that is exemplary. There have been
some difficult circumstances and everyone has handled them with positive attitudes
and, even more importantly, been more than willing to change, adjust and apologize
when frustrations or attitudes get out of hand. We could not be more proud of the way
they are all showing Christ through their actions, attitudes and teaching. They have a
maturity that is beyond their years and a love for people that astounds us.
Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Please continue to pray for us, especially
for health and energy and strength.

Welcome Home!

2010-08-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

We were all happy to welcome home our amazing India Team.

Thank you, Students, for your flexibility, tireless work and great attitudes.

Thank you, supporters, for your prayers and physical support. This wouldn't be possible without you!

On Their Way Home

2010-08-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Around 10pm tonight (central time) the team will be leaving Delhi to return to the US! They will arrive Friday night around 12am, barring any delays or missed flights. Please pray that they will make all their connections and that they will have safe travel. Please pray also for the safe travel of all of their luggage! :)

Thank you for your support and prayers.

AFLC World Missions Director's Trip Updates

August 18, 2010

Thank you for remembering us in prayer.

The AFLC Youth Missions Team to India had a day of sightseeing today (August 18th) and will be traveling home tomorrow. We will travel by train from Agra to Delhi and then by air from Delhi to Minneapolis.

Would you pray for our travel? Pray that even while traveling we would focus on Christ, that He would oversee the details and safety of our trip.

We have had a wonderful time of ministering in India and pray that we have ministered to the people of India as much as they have ministered to us. The team has been greatly blessed by the faith and kindness of the Christians in India.

Del Palmer

Prayer Request

2010-08-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hello faithful readers and prayer partners!

Our team has split up as the guys headed out to do a few days of ministry in Pilar. The girls are holding down the fort at the school and when the guys get back they will have a children's day and a women's day and some other events.

They are almost halfway through the trip and it gets harder and harder to continue to be joyful and patient and mature when you are tired and worn out! Please pray that they will remain strong and unified.

Thank you for your support and prayers!

Update

2010-08-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Student Missions is partnering with World Missions on this trip. Here is an update from Pastor Del Palmer, the World Missions Director who is traveling and ministering with the Student Missions Team.

AFLC World Missions Director's Trip Updates

August 7, 2010

Please continue to pray for us as we minster in India. Thank you for being gracious with the numerous mistakes in the last update. Yes, it was the tomb of St. Thomas.

Teaching at St. Paul's School

Each morning the members from the Student Missions Team teach the Scriptures in St. Paul's School. They are using the oral teaching method which means that they tell they Scripture passage from memory. This is usually done while acting it out. Then they ask the students to retell the Scripture passage. This is followed by questions and application. The goal of this type of teaching is that the student would be able to retain and pass on what they have learned.

Afternoons
After lunch, time is spent on a number of different things:

Evaluation of the morning teaching sessions
Planning and practice for the evening service
Shopping for culturally appropriate clothing
Rest as the we return from the service late most nights

Evenings
We travel to the churches in the evenings. Each evening a team member:

Has special music
Shares their testimony
Teaches Scripture with the oral method

We all sing worship songs in English.

Either before or after the service there is food. Remember, these people are Lutherans.

Pray

For our health
That God would use us
For the upcoming week

Monday - Wednesday

Men travel to Piler

Women teach at St. Paul's

Thursday - Sunday School Rally

Friday - Youth Rally

Saturday - Woman's Retreat

Del Palmer,

AFLC World Missions Director

India Photos! :)

2010-08-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

Right now, 8:10pm, Friday August 6th in Minneapolis...

It is 6:40am, Saturday August 7th in Chirala India.

The Student Missions Team has spent many hours with the kids at the school - teaching and, as you can see, laughing and hanging out as well. :)

On Sunday the guys will go off to do ministry in Pilar and the girls and Karen will be doing a Women's Retreat. Keep them in your prayers as they begin a new phase of their trip!

Ukraine Trip Update From the Chmiels

2010-08-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

The highlight of the month of July has definitely been our English Day camp here in Lviv. The AFLC Student Missions team that came to help with the camp was wonderful!!! They were such a mature group with such a heart for ministry! It was almost hard to believe that some of the students were only 15 years old. Everyone who met this group (people who met them in church on Sunday, the kids at camp, etc) very much enjoyed both the students and the leaders. Here is the group. From left to right - guys: Sam N., Sam M. (adult leader), Zach, Caleb, Jon (adult). From left to right - girls: Rachel, Hannah, Ruth (adult leader), Katy, Megan.

We started each day with songs and Bible story introduction. We were VERY impressed with how accurately the students presented the Bible teaching. We were amazed at how much Bible they had memorized as preparation for the camp!

Singing one of the campers’ favorite songs – Our God is an Awesome God

Repeating the Bible Story to each other in groups of two or three.

Yura was one of the neighborhood kids who came to our camp “from the street”. He very much enjoyed the camp and seemed to remember a lot from what was taught.

Crafts in the afternoon.

Games... Ultimate Frisbee was one of the favorites.

One day the team had a chance to get a tour of Lviv. Lviv is a beautiful and historical city and it was fascinating for the students to see that some of the buildings here in Lviv are older than the United States! (Lviv is first mentioned in historical records in the year 1256! It was founded by Prince Danylo Halytskyi, who named it in honor of his son Lev. )

One of Lviv’s oldest buildings is the Armenian Cathedral that started as a small Armenian church built in the years 1363–1370.

A good-bye picture taken already after the camp. It was a sad moment and nobody wanted to say good-bye. Many of the kids keep asking us (for example on Facebook :) ) when there will again be a camp like this.

We want to thank the AFLC Student Missions team for making this camp not only possible but also a big blessing for all!

And still more photos... :)

2010-08-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

For more photos (and eventually some stories and explanations) keep checking back here. Check out our group on Facebook as well - just search for AFLC Student Missions.

The very first day.

Training with Pastor Kevin Olson

Practicing music.

Bonding!

There were no fun times. :)

More photos...

2010-08-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

Minute to Win It Games! :)

I don't know what most of these photos are but I can tell you one thing for sure...

This is Sam's pizza.

Ukraine Photos

2010-08-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

India Update!

2010-08-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

If you are on the World Missions email list you have already read this - but for those of you who are following the trip on the blog here is the update on the trip from Pastor Del Palmer.

You may notice in the last photo that everyone is eating with their fingers - and only the fingers of their right hands. That is part of the culture in India and a new experience for almost everyone. :)

The second photo is from their time in the London/Heathrow airport.

Enjoy the update and photos! :)

AFLC World Missions Director's Trip Updates

August 1, 2010

Thank you for praying for praying for the Student Mission Trip to India. We have now entered our second week.

Training

We started the first week last Sunday evening as we gathered at AFLBS. The team spent Monday through Wednesday in training. The training consisted of learning to share the Word of God orally and preparing for the culture of India. The training concluded with at traditional Indian meal in the home of a local Indian family. As we left the home the father challenged us by saying, "Remember, we would not be Christians today if it were not for missionaries who spoke to my grandparents. You are going back to our people. You may never know the impact you will have on the families of generations to come."

Traveling
We started our trip half way around the world on Thursday traveling from Minneapolis to Chicago and then to London. Friday we traveled from London arriving in Chennai, India Saturday. Saturday we visited the tomb of James the Apostle and traveled by train to our final destination, Chirala, India. We arrived after dark, but everyone seemed to have weathered the trip well without being overly tired. Most were able to sleep on the planes and train.

Teaching
This morning, Sunday, we spent in church. Luke Erickson taught about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. Matt Jordan played the violin. The girls taught a song in English, with actions. Karen Palmer gave a greeting, and Pastor Palmer preached.

The Team
The team has been phenomenal. They are working together and are eager to pitch in and be flexible at a moments notice. All have remained healthy.

Please pray for us that God would use us mightily.

Del Palmer,

AFLC World Missions Director

Safe Arrival

2010-07-31T11:46:00.001-07:00

Just an update to note that the India Team has arrived safely in Chirala! That's all we've heard so far. Thanks for your prayers!

India Schedule

2010-07-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

Here is an overview of what the students will be doing while they are in India! Please keep them in your prayers as they travel nearly 10,000 miles and begin their ministry with the people of Chirala and the surrounding areas.

July 31st - Arrive in Chennai/Train to Chirala
August 1st - 2nd - Church, rest day.
August 3rd-6th - Teaching at the School, time at the Churches
August 7th - Rest day
August 8th - Church - Participating in the service
August 9th-11th - Women's retreat/Men travel to Piler
August 12th - 13th - Teaching/Churches
August 14th - Rest Day
August 15th - Sunday - Participate in the service
August 16th -17th - Traveling to/arriving in Agra
August 18th - Taj Mahal
August 19th - Travel to Delhi
August 20th - Fly home from Delhi

There will be photos from the Ukraine trip up soon! :)

For You Visual Learners... :)

2010-07-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Working Hard

2010-07-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

There has been hardly any communication from Ukraine because the team is very hard pressed to find internet access. Apparently Sam and Jon had a few minutes to send out a note or two at a McDonalds. :)

All we know is that they are all doing fine and the VBS is going well!

Praise the Lord that things are going smoothly and please continue to keep them in your prayers.

Ukraine!

2010-07-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

They have arrived! Our team of 10 has arrived in Lviv. They had a very smooth trip - everything went well. As I am typing this they are hanging out at Tomasz and Miriam's home, playing with Hannah and enjoying some of their youth!

The team has done a little bit of sightseeing - unfortunately their internet usage will be very sporadic and there may not be much chance to upload photos or update this blog very often.

Apparently it is fairly hot there - although not as hot as it has been here in MN!

The train ride was good, they had two passport checks. :) They were very glad they had beds to use on the train!

Jon and Sam were able to visit Pavel in the Children's Hospital. Pavel is a regular in the Chmiels' updates and one of their dedicated youth. Please keep him and his kidney issues in your prayers.

The team asks for your prayers as they prepare for the VBS. They are starting on Monday and seem excited to begin!

Thank you for your prayers and support.

Check back during and after the trip for more photos and stories!!

Ukraine and India, Here We Come!!

2010-07-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

It's mission season again! :)

Alright, you caught me. That's not really true. Every day is mission season and every place has it's own unique opportunities to share the Gospel. That is something we all need to remember. Of course, for Student Missions, when Summer rolls around it becomes clear to us that Short Term Mission Trip Season is here once again! :)

In about a week a team of 10 will leave for Ukraine. They need your prayers as they teach a VBS to students in the city of Lviv. Please pray for the ability to cross language and culture barriers and find ways to share Christ's love and have real relationships with those they will be with during their time there.

Two days after the Ukraine team gets back a team of 12 will leave for India! That trip will be more physically exhausting and their ministries will be varied. Please pray for strength and endurance for the entire team. Pray that they will enjoy their time and be able to really connect with the body of believers there.

This blog is your doorway into the day-to-day experiences of the Ukraine and India teams. Please feel free to share this blog with everyone who knows the participants or is interested in short term missions - or just everyone you happen to know! Thank you for spreading the word. :)

Remembering!

2010-03-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Campus Days at AFLBS - that's the Association Free Lutheran Bible School for those of you who aren't familiar with it. :) Student Missions was there with a slideshow of pictures, information and brochures that anyone could take and read and plenty of stuff from other countries to look at, touch and even buy.

All that brought us back to the trips that have been taken in the past few years. It was great reliving some of the memories we've shared with awesome people!

We wanted to share some of those memories with you in the words of Evan Prachar who traveled with Student Missions to Brazil in 2008.

"The mission trip to Brazil was a great opportunity for me. It was a time of spiritual maturation, social maturation, fellowship, and learning of all sorts. It was great to see how God works in people five thousand miles away who don't even speak the same language as me. Believers truly do have an immediate relationship, and it is obviously not bound by language.

It was also awesome to simply be in the Word constantly (you can do that anywhere, I guess) and being at five services every week. As always, that deepened the relationship I have with Christ and being in a fresh environment took it to a different level, I think, because it was WAY away from the daily routine and that seems to make it easier to really get focused. Seeing the culture and being so far from home helped me to grow up a little bit, too, which is always helpful. Getting to know the team, the Abels, and all of the Brazilian folks was also a great experience.

I could ramble all day about every detail about this mission trip, but the truth is that you can't really know where I'm coming from until you experience it for yourself, and I mean that-just ask anyone who's done the same thing. So, I strongly encourage everyone, regardless of future plans for missions, to go on one of these trips to really get the full effect and see just how awesome it is. Praise God!"

Deadline!!!

2010-02-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hello World!

The deadline to get your application in for the 2010 Student Mission Trips has now passed!!!

The secret that we don't tell you right away is... if you hurry you can still apply! But this is the time when the spots fill up because they are now OPEN to college aged students and pretty much anyone who wants to learn about and experience AFLC Missions!!

We officially have ONE spot left on the Ukraine trip! We also have TWO spots left on the India trip. At this point we can't guarantee that the spots will be open by the time you mail in your application so if you even THINK you might be interested now is the time to go to our website and fill out that application! :)

Call or email if you have any questions at all.

Sam and Rachel Menge
Student Missions Coordinators
(612) 599-5524
student.missions@aflc.org
aflcstudentmissions.blogspot.com

Summer 2010!!!!

2009-12-14T18:33:00.000-08:00

Maybe I am the only one who is astounded that it's almost 2010, but I can't help it! For some reason it feels like a milestone and makes me feel rather old. :P

I am also really excited about this coming Summer because of the awesome trips that we get to plan!! Unfortunately Sam is the one who will get to go and actually experience the trips and I will be staying home with Jericho and the twins, Adah and Asher. I would LOVE to be there and experience two new parts of the world and meet new people and share God's love with them.

Here are the details on the two trips, taken from the AFLC website. Right now we already have four applications for these trips and India especially is filling up fast!! Unfortunately right now there are NO GUYS signed up!! Hello!! Where are all the adventurous men?!? :) Procrastinating? :D

Don't wait too long - Application deadline is FEBRUARY 1st!!

Applications can be downloaded here: AFLC Student Missions

Ukraine
July 11th - July 25th, 2010
Cost: $2,100*
Area: You will be working in western Ukraine in the city of L’viv.
Age: 15-19 years old**
Space: There is a limit of 8 students. This is first come first serve so apply quickly!
Missionary Requests: The missionaries have expressed a need for mature, Christian guys so we are looking for the ratio of guys to be greater than girls.
Training: Training starts on the 11th at the AFLBS campus and we will fly out on the 15th.
Application Deadline: February 1st 2010

During this trip you will be working with Tomasz and Miriam Chmiel (AFLC Missionaries on loan to EEMN) and Sam Menge (AFLC Student Missions Coordinator). You will be aiding Tomasz and Miriam in their ministry to their congregation and the people of their city, L’viv. The focus, however, will be working with the youth that Tomasz and Miriam work with. You will need to be a strong godly example for these young people who do not have that in their lives. We will train you in an oral Bible teaching method that will give you Scripture to confidently proclaim to them and teach them to use. This promises to be an exciting and challenging time for both you and those in the Ukraine

* The dates and price are subject to change due to the airlines. They will be solidified later this year. The dates will change no more than a day or two.
** College students older than 19 may still apply but will only be considered after the application deadline, if there is still space available.

*If you are applying as an individual and not part of a group with a team leader you do not need to fill out the Group Application form.

India
July 25th - August 20th, 2010
Cost: $2,600*
Area: You will be working in southeastern India just north of Chennai.
Age: 16-19 years old**
Space: There is a limit of 8 students. This is first come first serve so apply quickly!
Missionary Requests: This trip is looking for mature Christians who have maybe been on a mission trip and are looking for the next step in their faith and a new challenge.
Training: Training starts on the 25th at the AFLBS campus and we will fly out on the 29th.
Application Deadline: February 1st 2010

During this trip you will be working with Del Palmer (AFLC World Missions Director), Luther Dasari (Native Indian Missionary), and Sam Menge (AFLC Student Missions Coordinator). You will be learning an oral Bible teaching method and will be aiding Luther in the training of pastors and church members in this method. You will be challenged in memorization, Bible interpretation, drama, and cultural application. This training will give these people in India a tool that will allow them to proclaim their faith and teach the Bible to the people around them effectively and accurately. There will be other little projects mixed in this time and then at the end, a surprise!

* The dates and price are subject to change due to the airlines. They will be solidified later this year. The dates will change no more than a day or two.
** College students older than 19 may still apply but will only be considered after the application deadline, if there is still space available.

Update! :)

2009-08-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

Hello World!

The Uganda crew is all safely home and finished recovering from the trip. We hope to have a few more Uganda pictures, videos and stories on here soon.

We are already looking towards the future - which for us means next Summer's Student Mission trips! We are already making plans for one that would happen at the end of July - TO INDIA! Please keep checking back here for more information. We will update as soon as we know what is happening. You can also send an email with Subscribe in the subject line to student.missions@aflc.org and we will put you on our prayer request/email update list. We send that out intermittently, but much more often when we have information on upcoming trips.

If you signed up for more information at FLY you should be getting a packet from us in the near future! Look for it soon after this school year starts. If you want an information packet, please send us an email with your address.

Be sure to also check our page on the AFLC website for any other exciting news! You can find that here!

Take Two...

2009-07-08T20:48:00.001-07:00

Video!

2009-07-08T20:44:00.001-07:00

Here is the first video that we've made from a few of the clips and what the kids had to say. We had about two days in which to make it before Sam took it to the FLY Convention to use at his sessions.

Now I can only speak for us, but we miss everybody! :)

Enjoy getting a little taste of what we did and what the kids thought...

Safari!!

2009-06-28T02:53:00.000-07:00

The team, along with Sam and Nate, went on a three day Safari to Queen Elizabeth. They saw many lions, elephants, deer, warthogs, hippos and even a few crocodiles! Here are Courtney and Courtney concentrating on the wilds of Africa.

Walking with the wildlife - Here is Seth with their new friend. The place they were staying is just out of this picture, to the right. They really were in the middle of the wild!

Again, walking with the wildlife. This was a lovely warthog. :)

A deer in it's natural habitat. :) There are so many more great safari pictures but they probably won't be up on the blog until after we get back. Please keep checking back for more!!

Village Ministry

2009-06-28T02:39:00.000-07:00

The team has been spending a lot of time with the people in the villages. They have had many different adventures while camping out there. They've climbed "mountains" and told their stories on top of them...

They have used some interesting bathrooms!

And taken countles piki piki and boda boda rides, often coming back caked in red dirt.

The main ministry that they have been involved in has been telling Bible stories to the classes that Nate has been working with. They dramatized Ruth (above) and Gideon. (below) They did an AMAZING job memorizing the Scripture and getting the story across a language barrier so it could impact the listeners! After telling the story they would have the class retell it to them, they would walk through the story step by step and then talk about observations and applications with them. The language barrier was tough, but a week after hearing the story the students could retell it perfectly, so the method and their hard work is really getting the Bible across to the people.

It is amazing to see how the Word of God changes people. Many people believe that in Africa a "social gospel" is needed - one where poverty and other problems are addressed and then the gospel is brought to the people. The truth is that even when aid is applied it is mostly ineffective in it's intended purpose, and completely ineffective in bringing the gospel. Here we have seen first hand that it is the Lord who changes people, His Word that makes a lazy man diligent or a drunkard a sober hard worker. Christ is what is needed here - it may be cliche, but He is the answer!

PS

2009-06-25T04:49:00.000-07:00

For the grandparents, Adam and Courtney, Kirsten and Darwin, Katelyn and whoever else might care...

Jericho got his first teeth on the 24th! No more big toothless grin! :)

Just thought you might want to know. :)

Answers! :)

2009-06-25T03:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you to those of you who left questions - they were all a challenge to answer, which is always a good thing. :)

Favorite food is a HARD one. I have some photos of the traditional Ugandan food to post, so I will probably talk about that more later. I don't think that the posho, mahtoki, cabbage and weird parts of animal were anyone's favorite food.

Rhoda has made some delicious dishes (say that three times fast!) but I think among the top ones have been peanut butter chocolate chip brownies (with ice cream!) and her amazing chicken noodle soup. We polish that off in a hurry.

There is a great restaurant here called Ozzie's that everyone seems to enjoy. They rather like getting to pick whatever they want, from steak to hamburgers to fish to smoothies. :)

The team, if I can brag on them a little bit, have all been amazing. There have been quite a few rather difficult experiences and they have all handled them well. Every one of them are eager to help with the dishes and the kids while they are back at the Jore's - even when they have had a hard day in the village!

I have never seen constant diarrhea handled with such humor and yet grace. Mention banana leaves and you will get roaring laughter. :)

The group is really diverse in temperament and age and just about everything. But God has helped all of the group to grow together and become a family. In that way the trip is going wonderfully! And the training they are doing in the villages is taking root in an amazing way - the week after they told the story of Gideon to the class it was recited back perfectly.

Hopefully soon after we get back we will have some videos of the trip on youtube. Some of the videos will include the kids sharing their thoughts on the trip and what impacted them. Keep checking back after the trip ends for more media that we can't upload from Uganda! :)

Sam will also be doing an elective three days at the FLY convention titled Please Don't Send Me To Africa. We will have photos and video and stories from this trip and Student Missions in general. Please feel free to attend and ask questions there as well if you are around! :)

If anyone else thinks of more pressing questions, feel free to post them here or email them to us.

The team returns from safari in about four hours. They will probably be a little bit internet starved so I don't expect to post pictures for another 24 hours or so.

Thank you for all of your prayers! We can definitely feel them supporting us. The difference it makes is so amazing. You are definitely a huge part of this trip if you are praying for us. Blessings to you!

Questions?

2009-06-24T04:04:00.000-07:00

Today the team is at Queen Elizabeth Park on their safari! So far they have seen elephants and lions among other animals. Since they have all the cameras, I don't have any pictures to post and I won't have any until probably Friday at the earliest.

Until then, I am planning to do a blog about the ministry they have been doing in the villages with more pictures of that.

I also would like to know if any of you who are reading this blog have any questions at all about Uganda, the trip or any other random thing. Please leave a comment here and I will do my best to answer any and all questions!

Boating on Lake Victoria/Nile River

2009-06-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Fishing for tilapia. Tons of tilapia come out of Lake Victoria and it is delicious!!

Tossing out the net...

There it goes! :)

we saw a lot of monkeys on our boat ride.

And a monitor lizard! A rather large one. It was sunning itself on the rocks that mark the start of the Nile River.

The Children's Hospital

2009-06-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

We went to the children's hospital in Jinja and gave away handmade sweaters and blankets - thank you AFLC WMF! :) Here is Courtney J giving a blanket to a little boy and praying with him and his mother.

One of the wards at the hospital. Much of the care here is supposed to be free thanks to aid money given to the government and other places. Unfortunately most of the doctors require payment anyway and use the money to pad their pockets.

It was a very heart wrenching place, crowded and noisy, smelly and hot.

The child laying on this bed was very very sick and emaciated. Quite a few of us had tears in our eyes while we were there.

SOCCER!

2009-06-21T23:24:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more shots of the team playing soccer with the street kids. Some of Nate and Rhoda's friends have a ministry with boys who are virtually or literally homeless and if it weren't for the help, guidance and time they put into the kids they would be constantly begging on the streets.

We fed them rolex (an omelet rolled into chapati - aka flatbread) and soda. They loved it!

Courtney made a new friend...

Courtney G and Elijah running on the field with the boys.

The Babies

2009-06-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

Rhoda and Hannah with Rhoda's friend and fellow missionary Tamara.

Baby Jericho on his first day in Uganda! He seems to like it here - except for the heat!

Don't take my book! Here, you can have a shoe. :)

Look mom! Matching outfits!! :D

More Orphanage Pictures

2009-06-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

Not sure how many of these pictures have already been uploaded, but since the internet is working well right now I thought I would take the opportunity to post what I had! :)

Getting ready to hand out balloons and balls. The kids loved them, but they were worried that the balls would pop like the baloons!

Pressing On!

2009-06-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

We had a few days of rest, hair braiding, souvenir shopping, swimming and Nile river boating and are now back to work! The kids and Sam were out in the Village teaching the story of Ruth yesterday and stayed overnight there. They then preached/told their stories in the morning at different village churches.

The general consensus was that this trip into the wilds was much better than the last, everyone is feeling much better and the food - well, let's say they are beginning to get used to it, but they were totally excited for popcorn and peanut butter chocolate chip brownies with ice cream when they got back!

Hopefully I will have a chance to update with more pictures while everyone but Rhoda and I and the kids are on Safari. Tomorrow they are teaching the village again and then leaving Tuesday morning EARLY for their three days of safari fun!

Please keep the team's health and unity in your prayers. Also pray for courage and strength to keep reaching out and pressing on, even when we don't always feel like it.

...A Few More...

2009-06-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we spent time at an orphanage (www.africaourownhome.com) and gave balls and balloons to the kids there and spent the afternoon playing with them. It was really fun for us and for the children as well! They were really cute and had so much love and smiles to share.

The kids have worked really hard the first week - going to the village for three of those days and Village Survival Day and going to the orphanage - and of course, souvenir shopping! Today we are planning on spending the morning swimming and then spending some time with some of the street boys here in Jinja. We will get to know them and play some soccer with them.

I have to save this before i lose internet again! Thank you all for your prayers and support! We can't wait to fill you in on more of our adventures!

Finally Some Pictures!

2009-06-17T22:31:00.000-07:00

Hello World! We are finally getting around to updating the blog! First it was Village Survival Day and we weren't "allowed" electricity. Then there were a few problems with the internet and then we were waiting for pictures! The picture above is from their time in the village. They stayed overnight and spent time at local schools the next day. The kids in this picture are singing for them. :)

Here is the Gideon team - they presented the story of Gideon many, many times. It ended up being quite dramatic - including losing their narrator once in the middle of a story due to one of many trips to the bathroom. That goes for all of us - the needing many trips to the bathroom part. Other than that, we are all in fairly good health!
The team is talking with some of the people in the village here.

Here they are receiving some training from Nate in the Jore's yard. This was Sunday, the first day Nate felt up to talking to us and filling the kids in on some of the culture and customs of Uganda.

The photos aren't in order right now, but here is a photo of the team in London. They got to travel by bus from the airport to Windsor castle. They had a lovely lunch and explored the surrounding area as well!

On Village Survival Day we had a scavenger hunt where three different teams explored the city of Jinja and were required to take pictures of themselves doing different Ugandan things or buying things at shops and at the market. One of the tasks was to take a ride on a motorcycle or bike - here is Courtney and Courtney (our winners) accomplishing that task!
Hello World!

The First Day In the Village!

2009-06-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

The kids survived their first day traveling out to the village of Naigobya! They left Jinja in the late morning and came back in the late afternoon. After breakfast, devotions and some hurried practice they traveled an hour and a half and taught the story of Gideon to the class in Naigobya. Micah, Courtney G, Jed and David all participated in the story telling, sharing parts and acting out different areas of it.
They did a fantastic job!

They also got to enjoy their first taste of village food! They had beans, cassava, matoke and sweet potato. The girls were able to use silverware, but some of the guys had to eat with their hands! The Ugandans may not have much, but what they do have they are very willing to share.

Today was Courtney G's birthday! We had a cake for her and got her a little gift from the shops in Jinja. It was so fun to share this day with her - a birthday in Uganda!

Today we (meaning Rachel and Rhoda and Nate) spent some time today planning how to torture the kids tomorrow - it is village survival day! That will be a fun blog to write, and hopefully by the time we can write about that we will have some pictures ready to share as well.

Tomorrow the electricity will be unofficially off, so don't expect any updates until Monday. So you all know, we are all still healthy and doing well and enjoying our time here, for the most part!

We are very proud of all the kids - if you are a parent reading this, you should be as well! They have impressed all of us with their willingness, dedication and servant attitudes.

Until Monday....

2009-06-12T06:10:00.000-07:00

We have arrived safely at Nate and Rhoda's home in Jinja. After what we estimated to be approximately 36 hours of travel, one encounter with the TSA, one long wait for someone who couldn't get on the airport tram in time and one hot radiator blowing water all over Rachel, Micah and David.... we have all arrived safely and in one piece!

For those of you who were wondering about Jericho, he is just fine. He was really crabby for about two hours out of the last flight because they wouldn't turn off the lights so he couldn't sleep. Other than that, he was a wonderful child.

Everyone but Jericho and Rachel got to go into London to Windsor Castle. They ate lunch there and enjoyed their break from the airports.

Today we are recuperating a little and trying to stay awake until tonight so we can acclimate to the time change quickly.

Please keep Nate in your prayers as he is dealing with his first case of malaria right now.

Also please pray that we will feel well rested for tomorrow and be ready to do what we have come to do! :)

Training Pictures! :)

2009-06-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

Eating Goat and other delicacies at an African restaurant downtown Minneapolis. One of the delicacies was pureed jalepenos and garlic. It's great all at once! :D

Training, training and more training. Here is Courtney G, Micah B and Jed J practicing Gideon.

Studying. It never ends. :) Rachel M, Courtney J and Seth K.

The team! Courtney G, Jed J, Seth K, Micah B, Rachel M and Courtney J. Missing David P.

(almost) On Our Way!

2009-06-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! We are almost on our way to the lovely city of Jinja, Uganda. The group has finished their training here and we are about to have breakfast and pack up. We are leaving about 3pm. We will fly out to Chicago then transfer pretty quickly to a plane to Heathrow airport in London. There we will have about 9 hours to explore the city of London before getting on another 8 hour flight to Uganda!

We found out yesterday that the Jores are without electricity right now, which might make updating this blog as much as we wanted quite difficult. Even though we don't mind the authentic African experience, we definitely would enjoy living without the problems that presents. Please pray that their electricity comes back on soon! :)

Everyone is doing well and getting excited! Hopefully we will have pictures and more stories and information for you soon.

Welcome!

2009-06-05T08:13:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the AFLC Student Missions blog! Here you can read updates about new Student Mission trips, find out what is going on with the current trips and see what God has done in the past.