New photos from NTCC meeting!

Steve Kenney leading us to the NTCC meeting, a little nervous.

Steve teaching from Colossians 2.

Dear Readers, Here is an update: Sunday night September 3, we attended Living stream meeting which is a meeting of young adults. We were super encouraged by the faith they cling to.

On Monday, September, 3, 2012 [we visited] chicken project in Ndejje, a 40 minute drive from Kampala. The goal is to train folks how to care for chickens and to begin a life-care group. Ndejje is a mostly Muslim community. Nearby is a village called Kibiri where a school is being built. Kindergarten will begin in March. There is one teacher so far, but needs two since expectation is 30 students.

Later we visited Chebondo village for lunch at Okello's house where a wonderful meal was served.

On Tuesday we went to Gganda where the church meets in the front yard of Jonathan Katerega who recently converted from practicing witchcraft. Some of us walked to a site where witchcraft was practiced, but due to recent conversions has been turned into a site where young Christians sleep. The holy spirit of God has now replaced the bad spirits. Willington, a Christian from Kampala church, told me that, "Most converts from witchcraft love God more because of the bad place from which they have come."

On Wednesday we spent the day at Wabegalo church. There we sang, the children performed, Steve spoke, and we ate a large meal together. Five people were baptized. They showed much bravery since the idea of submerging one's head under water here is terrifying. We toured the maize project where Jim took soil samples determining that lime was needed for the best corn crop. It is about 2 acres in size. Corn is needed because it stores easily in times of drought.

On Thursday plans to visit the new church-plant in Kasangiti changed when part of the team visited
an injured friend. In the evening we visited a life group at Emmanual's home. Many are from Congo.

Blessings,
Leslie

New photos & videos from Uganda mission team!

Click the link below to see photo and video galleries of the mission team in Uganda!
Uganda Mission team photo & video galleries

First week in Uganda

Dear Readers, this is Leslie. Much has happened since we arrived in Uganda. From Tuesday to Friday, the North Central team of Jim Risk, Nancy Harbron, Steve Kenney, and me, along with Isaac Sanyu and Francis from Kampala church, visited Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Park. Highlights include being charged by a wild elephant and later, our van being surrounded by 50 plus lively baboons (we have videos). Friday we drove to Kampala and met new church friends. To exchange currency we did so at a Michelin Tyre [sic] store (aren't all Michelin Tire Stores so hospitable?). On Saturday we ate breakfast in the hotel lobby. They bring hot milk and you use a teaspoon of Sanka per cup. Sanka's very popular.

Speaking to the Women of Grace about the hospitality of God.

Later I spoke to the Women of Grace group about the hospitality of God; how God, since Abraham and Sara, has worked through the foreigner, the stranger and through the marginalized. And as a counter cultural movement in the heritage of Abraham, our history as Christians also carry the designation as foreigner and stranger. And so it was especially poignant for me as a foreigner to speak about the experiences of foreigners and sojourners of God. But our little team from NCCOC are not strangers for it is clear that we have true fellowship with the Kampala church. It also was ironic to speak to such hospitable people about hospitality. But my aim was to give their works a framework within the story of God; that small acts of hospitality are really loving acts to Jesus; that a glass of water in His name has spiritual impact; that because he first loved, we too love. I presented the women with a poster, 'Welcome to the Table of the Lord,' a reproduction of a painting my friend Brenda Brown made for me. Nancy presented many gifts and enjoyed many reunions.
Our team had lunch at Seth's house and spent several hours in great conversation with Seth, Terzol and Blaza Blaza, young men from the congregation. Jim had his picture taken with a 200 year old tortoise and happily interacted with 7-year-old John, a little boy from the congregation whom we brought along with us. All enjoyed our time together. 

Steve Kenney teaching in Ganda about the four legs of a table.

In the family life class, Steve spoke and conversation was stimulating as our two cultures discussed challenges families face. We are looking forward to a new week and many home and new church-plant visits.

Mission team off to Kampala, Uganda!

Kampala mission team of Leslie Kenney, Jim Risk, Nancy Harbron and Steve Kenney.

Jim Risk, part of the Kampala mission team, is learning about the chicken project.

Leslie Kenney is teaching women about the hospitality of God.

New Friends in Honduras

We are home now and glad to have had safe and uneventful trips to Indiana. We left many old and new friends back in Honduras whom we look forward to seeing again someday. Here's just a few of the people we met: 

-- volunteering at Solidaridad


Millie and Nancy volunteer with Solidaridad, but Millie works for UNO / Group Terra, a gas station chain in Honduras that has donated old vinyl advertising banners that are repurposed into children's back packs.

Sherry Moyner and her family moved from Lewisburg, PA. Sherry helps empower women with knitting and crocheting skills so the women of Izopo can sell their wares.

Edmundo is a Boy Scout leader who has been volunteering with Solidaridad for 2 1/2 years bringing his older scouts to teach crafts to children. This year the scouts taught origami. They also work with Walmart in Tegucigalpa with food matching. For every item donated Walmart donates a like item, which is distributed to families in Izopo.

Claudia and Osman have been working with Solidaridad 3 years and 2 years respectively. They teach bible lessons and songs to children while their mothers participate in adult lessons (knitting, gardening, parenting, etc.)

Irena and her sister Larissa are new to Solidaridad. Irena is an executive in a group that works with ''international cooperation.'' Like our North Central team, they came to watch Solidaridad in action.

Hanging out at Baxter Institute:

Carol Bailey, a missionary from Ft Worth, Texas comes to Honduras once a year and along with an interpreter visits with people in mountain villages and shares Jesus love for them. Carol also spends a significant amount of time taking Jesus to Russia and Ukraine.

  Jay Abel's, former missionary in Argentina, spends at least two weeks a year in Honduran mountains preaching Jesus. Together at times and separately at times, Carol and Jay work in eight individual churches northwest of Tegucigalpa.

Students at Baxter Institute:

Fior from Dominican Republic.
Yader Sanchez from Nicaragua
Ruben Diaz, from Honduras. This semester all are studying Theology, Hebrew, English and Pastoral Letters. We met several times with Baxter students to play games, to sing and to practice English.

These are just a few of the people we met. With some we will continue friendships through Facebook, but for others, especially those without access to a computer or to Internet, we'll see them next year. In fact that's why we took so many photos and why we recorded names; so we can remember the relationships not as a ministry or admission effort, but as special friendships created- and through His power- united in Christ.

Blessings,
Leslie Kenney

Making progress in Izopo.

Maynor Garcia of Solidaridad

On Monday night we met with Maynor Garcia from Solidaridad. It is an international volunteer organization that helps with health crises such as we see in Izopo. It also supports long term sustainable community building. Since North Central church has had a long history with families in Izopo we are interested in exploring the possibilities of combining our efforts together with Solidaridad in order to bring a better quality of life to the families we love so much. We are very excited about what God is doing!

Please click here to find out more about Solidaridad/

On Tuesday we continued with VBS and health clinics and delivered six computers to Izopo Elementary School and on Wednesday we hooked up the computers. We also split into groups and visited several homes within walking distance of the school building. Some of us were already familiar with the extent of poverty, but some of us experienced it for the first time. And yet each family was gracious to us allowing us into their homes to take pictures, to ask about their families and their lives. We spoke also of ours and left Izopo having made many new and special friends. 

Blessings,
Leslie Kenney

Sonia and baby Jenni, old stove causes respiratory problems.

Pig and puppy at Sonia's house.

Juana Maria, Estivy and Bairo in front of new Eco Stove provided by Solidaridad

Enjoying hula hoops in Izopo!

Izopo!!

Proud of potato!

Jeannie taught a packed room full of women how to use a tooth brush, how to make a toothbrush from a twig, and how to make paste from baking soda since store bought toothpaste can be costly and hard to come by. Tomorrow she will teach about physical hygiene. Phil translated and some of us distributed cups and water for practice with swishing and spitting, and handed out toothbrushes and tooth paste.

The Pauls lead VBS and others of us helped with the the eager mass of children. Between times we read books, blew bubbles, threw ball, and took photos (while recording each name), practiced our Spanish with young mothers (talking about our families, our home countries, etc.).

Blessings,
Leslie Kenney

Photos from Sunday

On the courtyard of La Vega church building.

Oscar tells us about the church in Santa Lucia.

Phil and Baxter student Eduardo.

Comments from the Honduras mission team.

On Sunday July 22, we were visitors at La Vega Church of Christ. Here are some comments by the team:
 "Though I couldn't understand everything, I really felt a part of worship."
"The flow of worship was very familiar, it was very much like the American Church of Christ."
 "I was really aware of the Spirit's movement through space and time. He was at North Central church and He was with believers around the world. I was aware that He was everywhere and every when."
 "It was so gracious of the church to do a dual language service for the benefit of 12 Americans."
"I sat next to a guy with a 'Honduras Hope' wrist band. I was so excited to hear that that group is involved in house building and in helping Hondurans."
"It was fantastic to see so many men eager to serve. And to learn that La Vega church is actively participating in building houses in Honduras."
"They made you feel at home right when you walk in.
"I felt very included as a very special guest, like they were expecting me. Everyone was hugging us and 'God blessing us'.''
"Leading English songs to a Honduran Spanish speaking crowd with only 12 English speakers was tough. Their song leader did a really great job. He had 200 people." (We were asked to lead some songs.)

In the afternoon we toured one of the oldest Catholic churches in Honduras. We learned from Oscar our guide some of the stories told about how it had gotten a "black Jesus." There are of course different legends, we have heard about three of them.

Michelle, 21, who has been translator for NCCOC short term missions since she was about 12, spoke to us at evening devotional about her experience as a Honduran with short term missions: "In the past it was about building houses and giving us things. But now I see a change in focus; that spending energy on people and hearing their stories impacts communities far longer than the things that don't last." she mentioned also that watching how NCCOC has maintained relationships over the years has impacted her and others.

Blessings,
Leslie Kenney

Mission team packs in a full day.

Saturday July 21. Our team intention is to learn, serve and to grow here in Honduras. To learn about the history of Honduras, Miguel Aguilar, professor at Baxter Institute, spoke to us about the history of Christian expnsion in Honduras. Additionally, we  toured the ''Ancient Hospital General and Palace de losMinisterios,'' a museum for ''national identity.'' We learned that Honduras has been a country, beginning with Mayan ancestors, of embattled peoples against colonial expansion and rules and that the country is still reeling from myriad social and political problems.
  
After the tour, while telling our tour guide about why we were in Honduras and about Breaking Chains, we learned that he had never heard of a homeless shelter. But we were very aware, in fact, it was our next destination.
  

At Breaking Chains, the homeless ministry overseen by Amber Foster, we visited those who have come for help and shelter. We learned their names and even some of their stories. We met Yolanda, Hennessey and Gustavo who sell chocolates on the street. We met Ricardo and his wife, their children and also grandmothers, all who live in the same one room. They are the door keepers who act as guard of Breaking Chains. We also met Anna whose job it is to clean the Breaking Chains building. We met her daughter and new baby whom she named 'Amber.' We learned from Amber Foster that her intentions for breaking chains of poverty and hopelessness is to help families move through rough waters of homelessness and especially encourages educating the children.
  
Oh, and we painted some bedrooms, too.

Blessings,
Leslie Kenney

Photos from the Honduras team!

         

The rest of the team has arrived!

On the ground in Honduras!

Friendship building has begun!

The rest of the team has arrived and new friendships are being made!

More opportunities to learn and serve!

Getting to know Baxter Institute Preachers in training.

The days are flying by and God continues to present opportunities to learn and serve. Tuesday was a day of major preparation for the arrival of the remainder of the group. That means lots of trips to the stores, visits to stores we have never been to before and new experiences. Who ever thought a store like Home Depot would also have a section for school supplies. Chris and Phil spent a very interesting evening traveling an hour outside of Tegucigalpa to meet with a group that has begun a program to combat malnutrition in Izopo. Chris Paul will write later to give more details of the “wild” evening.

Making new friends at Breaking Chains.

Wednesday we visited Amber Foster at Breaking Chains. What a great chance to renew friendships and to make new ones. We are close to finishing up preparations for the remainder of the group that will arrive on Friday. We now have planned out an exciting week of learning and work. When you add to it all the unexpected that is a part of ministry in Honduras I am sure it will be a wonderful week!!

Phil Banta

Learning, serving, growing in Izopo.

Emma and Senora Maria

An important part of our trip to Honduras this year, is learning more about the culture, daily lives and ways we can partner with our brothers and sisters here to bring glory to God.  On Monday, we all went up to Izopo and spent wonderful time with Marlon and Emma.  Marlon is the school teacher here and an integral part of advancement in the Izopo communities.  I spent most of the time questioning and talking with Emma (via translators Phil and Michele) about the daily lives of the families, concerns in the community, and available healthcare.  Emma has such a beautiful spirit!  She graciously welcomed us in her beautiful home, answered our many questions, and showed us her gardens and chickens.  She is very enterprising trying new items in her gardens; strawberries were in a field happily growing.  Her hens and rooster looked so healthy, as did her peach trees.  She and Marlon are setting such good examples of how to take care of their home, grounds and raise food to be healthy.  Her many thoughts and insights will be integral to Phil, Kathy and me as we prepare to have our first 'Health Fair'.  Phil will be discussing the harmful effects of smoking, drugs, and alcohol, Kathy will cover First Aid and have a special Women's class, and I will cover Nutrition and Dental.  We are praying that these will lay a foundation for future opportunities to help the health education of the people of Izopo.

Personally, the beauty of the mountains just enthralls me.  The sweetness and smiles of the people simply touch my heart.  We got to meet Emma's mother yesterday, Senora Maria.  I have a picture of us together and I look so tall standing next to her!  This is one of the few places I get to feel tall! Ha!  We look forward to sharing more of our experiences here.  Perhaps you could come next year!


Blessings,
Jeanne Evans

Advanced Honduras Team Arrives!

Awake early and at the airport. (Photo by Steve Evans.)

The Honduras advanced team had no hitches in their travel to Honduras on Sunday. That may seem like a small thing but the team we talked to at immigration in Tegucigalpa was just arriving after having missed their plane in Houston on Thursday. We were received with a warm welcome from Amber Foster of Breaking Chains, Michelle Gross, longtime friend of NCCOC, and a really hot humid afternoon.

After finally getting some sleep Sunday night we headed out to the mountain village of Izopo after breakfast Monday. Some things never change like the warm welcome of the people we saw like Marlon, the elementary teacher, his wife Emma, and daughter Fernanda. We also got to talk to Cindy but many of the adults were gone. Some of the team enjoyed a ride in the back of the truck with Susan Paul as crazed, rough-road driver.

We had a very, very insightful two hour talk with Emma about health concerns of the community. Jeanne will share in a future blog some of the many things we learned. Many things in Izopo are the same but some things are changing (see photo). Keep us in your prayers as we have busy days visiting more people and making preparations for our serving time next week. This is going to be a growing time!

Working in fields with a new backdrop.

Surviving rough roads with a smile.