Mityana & Vine Christian Academy kids!

Kids at Vine Christian Academy perform.

A few of the children leading in praise at Mityana church.

Children at Vine model their new uniforms and display a piece of their art work made for North Central!

A shot of the village of Banda.

This is downtown Banda, the actual village in Wakiso where Vine Christian Academy is located.  We stop here sometimes to buy wood or supplies. 

I don't like lizards on the ceiling while I'm sleeping! - Nancy

Worship and fellowship with friends in Kampala.

James Okello prepares the children for Sunday school by praying for them every week.

KCC worships God and learns about being satisfied with what we have while taking action based, on Joshua.

Jobey Terzol remains the faithful audio visual technician. It is so good to see that he is well and remains faithful.

Carmen and I cooked a spaghetti dinner for about 18 Ugandan friends and missionaries.  

The KCC Women of Grace continue to meet on Saturdays to pray, study God's Word and fellowship!! 

Another opportunity to bless a new Ugandan friend with a cloth from Tabitha Arise.

Precious!

This is Precious. She attends the church in Kasangti. I asked her if she loved Jesus. She said, "Yes, I do." I asked her, "Why?" She said, "because He is my Savior."

A visit to Wabigalo church plant.

All of the church plants struggle with needing property on which to consistently meet, with members constantly moving away and keeping strong Christian leaders. Wabigalo is one of these churches. Francis, a leader from KCC meets with Godfrey and at least 60 children every Sunday. While they could be very discouraged and that they meet each week to teach children, they are faithful to do the work as they witness  the fruit of their labor. There are a few children who have continued to attend church over the last 7 years. One teenage girl told me that she was very thankful that she is saved and Jesus has forgiven her of her sins. I also learned that there are  at least two fellowships of students led by a young member of Wabigalo, in other schools that regularly meet learning about the Bible.
Blessings,
Nancy

Meet Cosouzi and hear his remarkable story!

Meet Cosouzi, a 17 year old teen from the Kampala Church of Christ (KCC).  When Cosouzi was 5 years old, he, his mother and 3 siblings lived in the slum of the slums in the slum of Kampala.  They basically lived in the trash under a piece of sheet metal that they call temporary housing.  Once his father died from aids, the infected family struggled to survive.  Cosouzi felt guilty to hear his mother, Elizabeth, worry about how the family would find food.  Feeling like he was a burden to her, he ran away from ‘home’ to live on the streets, joining the other 3 million Ugandan (across the country) street kids. After a couple years, a man named Moses from the KCC walked by him lying on the street.  They eventually became friends with each passing by.  When Cosouzi began to trust Moses, he was invited to live with Moses and stayed with him for a couple years where he was introduced to KCC and later, school.  In the meantime, Dr. Ellen Little who was a missionary at KCC, was administering health care to the needy people in the area.  Elizabeth visited her clinic and they became friends.  Elizabeth started attending KCC and later became one of the Women of Grace for whom I have sold many of their beads.  One Day when Moses and Dr. Ellen were still around, Cosouzi finally spotted his mother at KCC and were reunited.  Today, they are strong members in the church.  Cosouzi is considered a leader among the youth at KCC.  He has 3 more years of school before University where he wants to learn to set up a program to help street children one day.  He is very proud to be the prefect of sanitation in his school.
God is good!
Nancy Harbron

Elishama Christian Academy provides for over 70 children.

Here is the first school started by KCC, Elishama Christian Academy.  It opened about 2 years ago.  Carmen and I were in Uganda planning the school at the time.  Today, it provide for over 70 children in this very poor community.  About 25 of the children come from Muslim families.  Other families are Catholic, Protestant or practice witchcraft.  Every morning at school the children meet for chapel, pray to God and sing praises about Jesus. Francis is the owner of the school and a leader of KCC.  He also preaches Sunday morning at KCC in the Lugandan service and then travels to Wabigalo to teach Bible class for the children.  Francis has heard the lessons about God the Master Potter a number of times when I have been here in the past.  In the schools art class, he teaches them how to make pottery and about God the Master Potter.

Blessings,

Nancy Harbron

New sweater for Benja made by Tabitha Arise.

Here is Benja sporting his new sweater made by Tabitha Arise!! Isn't he precious!

Future property of the Mityana Church of Christ?

After church, we went to see the property that KCC is considering purchasing for the Mityana Church of Christ. We then enjoyed a Ugandan meal in the home of a church member.
Blessings,
Nancy

Sunday Worship in Mityana Uganda

Sunday, August 16, I shared in the joy of worshipping God with Michael Simbwa and the Mityana Church of Christ. Members come from witchcraft, a variety of traditional religions or have been Muslim. I am sure the angels in heaven are singing praises as the kingdom spreads in this community. 
Blessings,
Nancy

A role model for Christ.

This is Able, one of the great role models of Christ's love in the community. He is also one of the church guards. He is pointing to one of the CRF children that he sponsors to go to school. He struggles with a very low income yet supports 2 students because he believes in their future. 
Blessings,
Nancy

Arrived in Uganda!

I made it to Uganda safely and smoothly!!! Carmen Myer along with several others from the Kampala church were waiting for me at the airport. I am staying with Carmen who has a one year assignment with an American based company called Sixty Feet. I will be visiting where she works, so more to come on that. Today, we relaxed and got caught up with one another at the church. We attended the weekly lunch time fellowship and prepared for the next few days...we are off to a great start.
Blessings,
Nancy Harbron

On My Way to Uganda!

With many thanks to North Central and many others in whose love extends to Uganda, I am on my way to encourage the church in Kampala. Carmen Myer is already there and sent me a note this morning that she made up the bed for me and waiting. I am looking forward to a comfortable stay. Isaac is tracking me over the Internet. all of them will be at the airport when I get there.God is good! Blessings, Nancy

We're home!

We just landed in Chicago! Getting ready to drive home. Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, encouragement and support. We pray that our extended family in Uganda has been encouraged, filled up and burdens eased.  

Please pray for this street boy.

On another note...while the graduation celebration was happening, I found this little street boy outside the church gates. He was begging for something, so I invited him in, gave him water and a meal. Some of the church members invited him to come back and enjoy the swing set in the back. His name is Adam and he ran away from his mother and traveled about eight hours away to Kampala. Will you join me in prayer that he will be reunited with his mother and find believers that will teach him about Jesus?

Graduation celebration!

The graduation celebration started as the Wakiso celebration ended. Many friends and family came with hearts filled with joy and gifts for the graduate. We were especially blessed to have his mother, grandmother, four brothers, one sister and many other family members present. There was strengthened and rekindled relationships and a memory that will never be lost. His very gracious and grateful mother blessed me with a gift. She and I and Michael met on our knees in Ugandan respect for the exchange. A very precious moment. 

The three of us cut the vanilla chocolate and cinnamon cake, and served the guests. Nine other graduates from the church were also honored. 

Michael addressed the attendees on his knees in gratitude for their support and especially the Lord who has always been there for him. 

I never could have imagined that this day could be so wonderful.  How can I ever thank God enough?

How can I explain God's love?

Today is bitter sweet. I woke up at the crack of dawn hearing the roosters crow and the hotel workers sweeping, sweeping, sweeping the the parking lot. The brooms are thin and about 3 feet long...made of grass. The lawn mowing people swipe their slashers back and forth. The smell of wood and coal smoke in the air as our Spanish omelettes are prepare... Mmmm, there is nothing like the thirst quenching taste of fresh passion fruit juice and the ensuing heartburn. 

As we sit down to pray, we think of all the wonderful days we have had, yet mourn the fact that our dear friend Isaac is sick in the hospital with malaria. We also hear of the continued spread of Ebola around the world. Bill's next journey to Zimbabwe is in question by his teammates, yet seeing the power of God, he fearlessly presses on with his plans. Would I stay longer in Uganda despite all of the health and terrorism? You bet!!! Once I am here, the threats somehow disappear. The blessings of doing the Lord's work is what fills our minds.  

Even the Ugandans ...  As Bill and I respond to loved ones that we are fine, one pokes me while riding in the Chariot on the way to Wakiso to make sure I have had a fresh pineapple on this trip ... despite all of the worries in the world, they keep on moving, praising the Lord and doing his work. How would I not want to be part of what they are doing for the Lord. 

I remember Bill's daily prayer, Lord help  me to want what you want, not what I want....and their is deep meaning behind it.

When we first arrived, we were exhausted ... 2 more days to go and our cups overflow.

Wow ... what just happened?  As we drive down the dirt road, two tiny children see Bill and holler, "hey mazungu, give me some bread!" For as many times as I have been down this path, they have never asked for bread, but today, they do. Guess what we have in the chariot and have never brought before? Bread! How can I explain the love of the Lord?!!!

Blaza Blaza is filled with happiness!

Blaza Blaza is so happy he can hardly focus.  In the photo he is opening a gift including a new shirt and tie. It was so precious to see him ask Bill to teach him how to tie the knot. Bill graciously and fatherly showed him how, but I think he was so happy in the moment that he will need the lesson again...

Michael Simbwa (Blaza Blaza) graduates!

October 17, 2014 marks a day of great happiness, pride, and a new Christian graduate of Business Administration Management. After 6 years at Ndejje Christian University, the fastest growing university in Uganda, Michael met his goal. His mother, surrogate second mother (myself) and his surrogate father Isaac Sanyu woke at 4:00am to make it for the 9:00am program. At least a thousand received graduate status six and a half hours later. There could be only one other time he was this happy...when he was gifted a used IPOD... To God be the glory for all of His provisions.

Road trip to the Nile.

Wednesday was a fun day to relax while the workers in Wakiso finished with building a brick platform for the tank. So, we took a short road trip to the Nile. 

On a side note, Mr. Mbaziira is always great at spotting God's blessings. Once it was decided brick was needed, a truck was sent to go to the city to find it. Just as they were leaving our area, another truck full of brick being taken to the city drove by. They bought it and made the trip a very efficient one. 

The video shows literally the source of the Nile in Jinga Uganda. To the right of the shiny flat water is Lake Victoria which flows south and to the right, the Nile flowing north. It takes the water from the source 3 months to reach the Mediterranean.