the well

Winding down our time in Budapest

2010-06-08T15:25:00.002+09:00

Monday we traveled out to the north side of Budapest out of the city. We past some ruins from 200 AD from the roman empire. ...write more later we are heading to the airport. I will post any flight Chanda on the blog.

Saturday & Sunday

2010-06-07T06:12:00.002+09:00

Saturday was our grand tour of Budapest. We were supposed to ride a bus around the city but I think we mainly walked it, atleast all the uphill parts. The city is beautiful and we gained some good insight into the people and the many challenges they have faced. We finished the night taking pictures as the sun set and city lights came on.

Sunday we slept in and went to church at 12, which the students seemed to like. The church had Hungarian and English. They are a fairly young church. They purchased an old theatre in the heart of Budapest complete a cafe in the lobby. After church and lunch we headed to a city park. We had invited some of the friends we've met here to join us brought frisbees, baseball, and a football. We were able to meet alot of new friend there and had several opportunities to meet students and other 20somethings here in Budapest. We had several opportunities to talk about the hope we've found in Jesus.

Tomorrow we will be working in a different part of the city closer to where matt and Megan live. We will be picking up trash on the streets and talking to people about a church over there.

Friday- Ministry Update

2010-06-05T06:28:00.002+09:00

Hey everyone! We had another great day of ministry. I had the priviledge of being on the prayer team. Our group prayer walked around the city. The other missionaries, John and Allie, headed this up and guided us on what to pray for and why. We stopped at several places around the city such as a strip club, Freedom Bridge, the Metro where homeless people live, universities, churches, and lots of other significant places. We walked in pairs and prayed out loud back and forth constantly. We were worshipping God in places that his name has never been proclaimed. In front of the strip club, we prayed that God would convict the heart of the owner to shut the business down. We walked across the Freedom Bridge where many people have committed suicide. All of us prayed that God would fill the void in the hearts of the Hungarian people. It was such a humbling experience! I know I take prayer for granted but it is the most powerful thing we can do! Think of all the friends and family we have that pray for us on a consistent basis. I walked around and looked at the faces of these people and my heart ached because they don't have that. I praise God for the gift of prayer and I pray that we would all be more faithful to depend and believe in it's power! Continue to pray for us! Can't wait to tell you more of what God has done.
Renee Pepin

Thursday- hitting the city

2010-06-04T02:23:00.002+09:00

We had a solid day of ministry today. We divided into 3 groups and hit different parts of the city of Budapest. Pray team, survey team, give away team (Bible, coffee pack, lolipop, & info about hopeforhungry.eu). The pray group had a directed prayer walk though some key parts of the city. One of the things they were burdened to pray for is the sanctity of life (1 in 3 women here have had an abortion and most who have had one will have two). The survey team invited university students to fill out a survey with questions about hope. The question most revealing is "what gives you hope?" The common response is, wow, I am not sure. There were several significant conversations. The 3rd group went to a university campus and gave away around 500 bags with the info mentioned above. Each of the 11 people in The give-away team had some great conversation and made some great contacs. Pray God will bring some of the students we met today to hang out with us on Friday night at the Lime Teahouse. Write more later...

We are all in Budapest

2010-06-02T22:27:00.002+09:00

The team has arrived in Budapest. We got checked into our modest rooms and had our first ride on the metro (subway). Just finished lunch in a under ground mall. We are about to have team meeting to go over plans for the next several days.

Latest team saga

2010-06-02T09:53:00.002+09:00

We are about to depart from JFK in NY headedfor Budapest after countless delays getting out of Atlanta and to a gate here at NY. Bout to flynover the big pond. Arriveing tomorrow for lunch.

Budapest- latest info.

2010-06-02T01:01:00.003+09:00

Clay has arrived in Budapest and steve and Mike are in the air arriving shortly. The other 22 of us are in Atlanta flying out @ 1:00pm to Jfk then we leave @ 7:30pm on a direct flight to Budapest. Matt brewer is up to speed on all the adjustments. Hopefully we will get some sleep over the long flight because we will hit the ground running on Wed.

Budapest- Delayed and rerouted, will update soon

2010-06-01T11:46:00.001+09:00

BUDAPEST 2010- Packing and Preparing

2010-05-31T13:13:00.004+09:00

Today is Sunday May 30th, 2010. We are getting ready to head to the airport tomorrow afternoon. Looking forward to being on the ground in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday afternoon. The team consists of a total of 24. Please pray and check back daily as we will be updating the blog regularly with info about each day and the events for the next day.

Until He comes we go!

David

2009-06-08T22:17:00.002+09:00

UPDATE: Even though the team is scheduled to arrive in Memphis at 4:50pm, they will have to go through USA Customs, so please add about an hour onto the arrival time for the the time they will exit the terminal to baggage claim. So arrival at 4:50 and then probably closer to 5:30 or 6:00 before they are done with customs and have baggage.

FLIP FLOP UPDATE: We FINALLY have received the zebra flip flops. You can come by Sarah's office and pick yours up anytime.

new flight update

2009-06-08T16:48:00.003+09:00

It has been an interesting Journey home. Our flight was significantly delayed out of Entebbe, Uganda causing us to miss our connecting flights from Amsterdam and Detroit. The good news is that we are on a direct flight now to Memphis from Amsterdam as noted below. Everyone was a little frustrated initially but have adjusted and are fine. Team is doing well. Hope all of you are sleeping well as we right this update. We look forward to being with our families shortly.

NEW: Flight Status results for:

FLIGHT: 057 STATUS: On Schedule
Departs: Amsterdam-Schiphol, Netherlands (AMS)
June 8 - 2:10PM Scheduled

Arrives: Memphis-Int'l, TN (MEM)
June 8 Scheduled - 4:50PM Actual

arrival

2009-06-08T05:02:00.002+09:00

we are about to leave Uganda. As it stands right now we are landing in Memphis on Flight 285 @ 5:30 (about 4 hours delayed from original time). Will add more later if we can. See ya soon

Wednesday- June 3, 2009

2009-06-05T05:34:00.002+09:00

Today, our team had several ministry opportunities. Part of our team went with Hal to a house church during the morning. Justin Lance preached on Jesus Christ being the living water who satisfies our thirst. Another group went to the "palace" where KIU students who are involved in UFC hang out near the university. Dave spoke from the book of Galatians to a lunch time gathering of students. Later in the afternoon, our entire team went to Everlight College where we were welcomed by a group of students and teachers who gave up their holiday to worship with us. We were warmly welcomed at this school by everyone. Some of our team, including Dave and Alex Butler, led worship through music with the song "Our God Saves". Chris Stevens and Joey Pomeroy gave their testimonies and Dave spoke about the importance of exercising spiritually. Finally we ended the day at a local teacher's college. Alex Butler and T.J. Tolosa gave their testimonies and Jimmy Johnston spoke to future teachers and others on using their area of influence to be salt and light for Jesus Christ. Although it was a quite busy day, it was a great day to participate in so many ministry opportunities that God has provided to our team. Keep praying!!!

Tuesday

2009-06-03T05:16:00.002+09:00

Today was another intense day of ministry. We began the day doing evangelism at the dorms of KIU, then lunch is at Mama Mombasa (authentic kenyan/ugandan food). The afternoon we went to New Castle High School (Clay preached, Jordan and Carrie shared testimonies). After dinner half the group went to KIU for leadership training by Hal Stewart and the other group went to Kibuli House Church where Justin preached and Jared and Christina shared testimonies. Here are some Highlights:
- At least 8 people trusted Christ at KIU, many were encouraged in their faith.
- We have had alot of bonding with KIU students which has resulted in some great discipleship and mutual encouragement.
- Almost everyone has had a chance to explain the gospel using the Two Ways to Live Tract, and everyone has shared there testimonies.
- Jordan had an opportunity to share her testimony and explain the gospel.
- One young man turned from Islam to Jesus.
- The leaders training was really fruitful. The students we are working with are the top 10% of the students of the nation and will be the future leaders.

Monday- June 1

2009-06-02T02:25:00.002+09:00

Today has been very busy but very rewarding. Today was our first day of evangelism in the Hostels (College Dorms). We got in groups of 3 Muzungu's (white people) and one Student from the Kampala International University then hit the dorms sharing Jesus. Here are some of the highlights:
-We (Hal, Daylon, Jared) met a Sudanese believer fluent in Arabic, whose pastor in Sudan has been persecuted including his brother being martyred. He had not been walking with God since coming to school in Uganda. He recommitted to Christ and plans to be a witness on campus.
-Our Group (David, Jack, & Carrie) visited with a girl from Northern Uganda. Her father was the "Lord's Liberation Army" (a rebel army group). She had turned to Jesus about 4 years ago and we were able to encourage her and help her solidify her salvation experience. We also visited with a guy from a Muslim family who had been talking with a Christian girl was becoming open to the gospel. After understanding who Jesus was and why he came to satisfy God's justice for forgiving sinners by paying there debt, is on the verge of following Jesus.
- Many people very close to making decisions, several clarified their salvation, some basic discipleship and were encouraged or challenged in their faith.

We also split the team and went to a house church and men's and women's Bible study at KIU. Hal was the preacher for the house church and Aubrey and Allison shared their testimony and Alex lead the worship. There was 43 people excited about reaching a community for Christ through house churches.
Many of the students from KIU keep talking about the relationship series we taught on Song of Solomon last year and asked for us to teach on relationship again, Dave spoke on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. We had a great time with the disccusing and challenging them on the subject.

Sunday

2009-06-01T04:25:00.004+09:00

Sunday - May 31, 2009
We had a great Sunday in Kampala. Our group split into two teams and led several worship services this morning. One group started out at UFC on the campus of Kampala International University at 7 A.M. The service at UFC was an hour early because of the final day of exams. At UFC, Dave preached from 2nd Timothy and two of our other team members, Lindsay Moses and Justin Lance, shared their testimonies. It was a great time of worshiping God with students from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, and Congo. From there, our group traveled to a house church at Kibuli. There was very special time of worship led by some of the members of the church. Our group led the members of the Kibuli church in the song "Our God Saves". Jack Weathers and Laura Beth Scipper gave testimonies and Jimmy Johnston preached. The other half of our team went to a house church at Kawuku. Hal Stewart preached and testimonies were shared by Daylon Williamson and Paige Weathers. Alex Butler and TJ Tolosa led worship at Kawuku. In the afternoon our team met with some of the UFC students for a time of fellowship and discipleship. It was a great time of mingling and we also played games (Simon Says). We split in groups of two and shared about the impact of prayer on our lives. We ended the night at Cafe Roma eating some African pizza. Tomorrow we will be working with UFC students doing evangelism as well as leading some more times of discipleship. Although it is still early, we have had a great time in Uganda. Continue to pray for us as we expect to see God do some incredible things.

saturday

2009-06-01T04:17:00.002+09:00

Saturday- May 30, 2009
Today we had an orientation with 4 of the missionary families. It was great hearing of all that God is doing and being prepared for cultural challenges and norms. Then we went to a local mall and exchanged money and bought some necessities. At night we had the privileged of worshiping with the United Faith Chapel, a church on the campus of the Kampala International University. There were about 300 worshiping with us, David preached on Psalms 4, and we had fruitful time of ministry around the Word of God.

Team Day 2 Day Field Itinerary

2009-05-29T03:39:00.004+09:00

Here's what the team will be doing each day, so you can pray specifically!

Friday, May 29
Arrive Entebbe Airport at 8:15 PM
Transfer to Emmaus Guest House

Saturday, May 30
10:00 AM: Orientation at Emmaus
12-2:00 PM: Shopping, changing money, lunch at Garden City Mall
7-9:00 PM: Saturday evening service at KIU (Kampala International University)

Sunday, May 31
7-9:00 AM: Service at KIU
11:00 AM: Service at Kawuku (Pastor Dickens) and at Kibuli (Pastor Vincent)
1:00 PM: Lunch
4-6:00 PM: Discipleship at Palace (KIU)
Supper at Café Roma

Monday, June 1
9-11:30 AM: Door to door evangelism with KIU
Lunch at KIU (Mama Mombasa restaurant)
Split team and half will go to Mbuya house church (4:30-6:00 PM) and others to Kibuli house church (8-10)
5-6:00 PM: Men and women’s discipleship at KIU
Garden City food court

Tuesday, June 2
9-11:30 AM: Door to door evangelism with KIU
Lunch at Rancher’s in Garden City Mall
2-4:00 PM Everlight College
7-8:00 PM: KIU Discipleship

Wednesday, June 3
10:11AM-12:00PM: Kisugu house church with Pastor Vincent
Lunch: quick one at Mama Mombasa
1-2:00 PM: Lunch hour service at KIU
2-4:00 PM: Nsambya Secondary School
Supper at Krua Thai restaurant

Thursday, June 4
9-11:30 PM: Door to door evangelism with KIU
Lunch
2-5:00 PM: Local crafts
Supper at Fang Fang’s Chinese Restaurant

Friday, June 5
Queen Elizabeth Game Park

Saturday, June 6
Queen Elizabeth Game Park

Sunday, June 7
Transport from Queen Elizabeth back to Kampala
10:20 PM: Depart from Entebbe Airport

Uganda Team Members

2009-05-29T03:36:00.000+09:00

Please pray for our 2009 Uganda Mission Team

Daylon Williamson
Lindsay Moses
T. J. Tolosa
Clay DeBolt
Carrie Morrison
Allyson Corley
Jared Frenn
Christina Stevens
Alex Butler
Rachel Clay
Chris Stevens
Justin Lance
Paige Weathers
Jack Weathers
David Anglin
Hal Stewart
Jordan Stewart
Joey Pomeroy
Aubrey Chapman
Laura Beth Scipper
Jimmy Johnston

Uganda Mission Trip 09 [5/28 - 6/8]

2009-05-20T15:15:00.002+09:00

Please pray for our team of 21 as we prepare to leave next week. Prayer needs: Financial Support, unity, spiritual readiness, Logistics.

Wednesday Old Kampala

2008-08-03T01:57:00.002+09:00

This was our last full day of ministry. We began the morning in an Old Kampala, where there has been no consistent work. We split into several teams for some on the street evangelism. Several, after hearing the Gospel, gave their lives to the LORD. We also came across several believers and were given the opportunity to help in discipleship. The Carsons are following up on the believers in the area in order to begin a new church plant. Later that evening the team split into two groups and shared with two house churches in the area. Dave encouraged the believers at Nambole, while Clay spoke to the believers at Kawuku. We were also able to share in a children's ministry. The Gospel was preached and many children gave their lives to Christ. -Levi Bump

Tuesday Soweto

2008-07-30T02:18:00.002+09:00

The LORD moved in a mighty way today! Today we visited a very impoverished area known as Soweto. Many of the people living here are refugees from northern Uganda. All of us were praying that the LORD would prepare our hearts for today because none of us have seen anything like it. Those living here were very receptive to God's word. Isn't it funny how brokeness and receptivity go hand in hand? The LORD has begun a small church there, because several have given their lives to him. I was very thankful that the LORD used me today in furthering his kingdom. As we walked about the interior of the area, we were followed by many children chanting "mzungu mzungu!" They were very excited to see foreigners walking among them. After walking for a little while we came to a small clearing between the houses and worshipped the LORD together. We asked God to bless our time of sharing, and that's excatly what he did. We split into small groups that consisted of at least one interpretter and three of us. I got to know a man named George, that lived there. He had been living in Soweto for about eight months after leaving northern Uganda. Dave and I shared the gospel with him and the LORD changed his heart. He received Christ as his Lord and savior, and thanked God in his own words for what the LORD has done for him. After he received Christ I spent some time getting to know him. It turned out that he was my age and also had a young wife! I was so excited to see the LORD's sovereign hand in this! This is only one testimony of many who were born again today. In the span of about an hour and a half, fourteen people became followers of Christ and were redeemed! Our God is strong to deliver and mighty to save! Please be in prayer for all of the new believers as well as those who are reaching and discipling here in Uganda. Afterwards, Dave led a leadership bible study for the leaders in the KIU United Faith Chapel. So far, according to the schedule, today is the last day that we would see the KIU believers, so we had to say our farewells before departing. Eventhough today was very sobering, the LORD has exalted himself among us. He has blessed our group with supernatural unity, the likes of which I've never seen. Please continue to pray for us, tomorrow we wll be sharing the Truth in a predominantly muslim community. Pray that God would empower us with his Spirit, like he has done so far, and pray also for the harvest. Levi Bump

Monday, KIU Evangelism and Bible Study

2008-07-30T01:58:00.003+09:00

The morning began with the team splitting into several smaller groups to bring the gospel to KIU students. I (levi) was paired with a KIU student named Isaac. I was very encouraged to spend time with my brother. Because the LORD was gracious to bless the efforts of the entire team, nine people were born again. In the evening, Tyler lead the men's bible study. He shared about the freedom that we have in Christ, not that we are free to live according to the flesh, but the freedom that we are given to walk with Jesus. This was a good time of fellowship and sharpening for all of us. Jaclyn lead the girls bible study and shared about loving by faith. In the evening, Dave spoke and began to prepare the team for Tuesday morning, in which we would be doing door to door evangelism in a very impoverished area.

Sunday Worship-

2008-07-28T04:09:00.002+09:00

This morning the group was split up into three groups. Joey, Clay, and Libby went to Nsambya high school, where Clay preached the word and the other two shared their testimonies. Ashley, Candace, Tyler, Jason, and Paul went to UFC. Levi, Chris, and I went back to Everlight College, where Chris and I shared our testimonies and Levi preached the word. The other two groups spoke of great experiences at both of their worship sites. Everlight was a true blessing to be at, they greeted us with great appreciation. It was amazing to see so many kids take initiative towards leading worship in the Sunday service. Many prepared solos, duets, and skits to share the gospel. Levi did a wonderful job preaching the fruits of the spirit and touched on a very important aspect that seemed to be a misconception among many of the ugandans that you can not lose your salvation with one sin. It was truly amazing to see God work in so many hearts and lives of the children.
This afternoon we went to discipleship with the UFC church. We got to play games and get to know the other college student ministry in a very relaxed casual atmosphere. They have welcomed us every day with beautiful smiles, endearing handshakes, and warm embraces. We participated in a Bible Study in small groups with the students after the games concentrating on Psalm139:23-24. The glory of the Lord was surrounding us with a beautiful evening and a cool breeze as we gathered outside. It is truly amazing to meet others who are from small tribes miles outside of Kenya and know that they are worshiping the same God and believe the very same truths that we do all the way back in the states. To come from two different worlds and be united in the everlasting promise of salvation and love is truly a blessing that can't be touched. Please pray that tomorrow will be fruitful as we go to minister to those who do not know the Lord. May we allow us to deny ourselves every step of the way and use us for his glory and honor.
Jaclyn Otten

Saturday - University and College Ministry

2008-07-28T03:26:00.003+09:00

Hello everyone! I would like to say that this trip has been basically nothing short of amazing. I can't type everything here but... Yesterday, or Saturday, we held a relationship seminar at Kampala International University or KIU. KIU has students representing 7 different nationalities form the region. Many of the students struggled to find local churches where they could understand the local language. In 2002 students from the campus began meeting together for worship and Bible Study in English (a common language). This group eventually birthed a church, United Faith Chapel (UFC), with upwards 500 studetns. Dave taught three sessions on the Song of Solomon and then our team led small groups after each session. Joey and I led a group and it was very good to communicate with the men in our group about good and bad examples of relationships, negotiables and non-negotiables, and how God wants for us to have the best relationship we can by keeping Him at the center of it. Some other small highlights...we ate our first 'African' food today, it was food from Kenya and it was real good and made me really full. Traffic here is alot worse than Memphis, but I haven't seen any wrecks.(?)

During the evening we broke up into two groups Levi preached and shared the gospel at Muyenga High School and Candice and Ashley shared their testimonies. Paul and Tyler helped lead worship. David preached for a saturday evening service at UFC and Clay shared his testimony. We have found the students very open and receptive to the Word. There is a great need for Biblical foundations and Discipleship. And I guess I can finish with a thought/revelation about life...there is nothing like a cold shower to let you know life is not about you. ( yeah that's right, every morning is a cold shower!) c-ya'll when I get home!
-blessings, paul j. stroud

Everlight College

2008-07-26T01:09:00.003+09:00

This afternoon was also very fruitful. We went to Everlight College, which is actually a jr high and high school. In the midst of a school room that had beaten up wooden benches and desks, gravel floors, no air conditioning were beautiful smiles that filled the air with their voices of worship and praise to the same God that created us all. The music and demonstrative worship was truly amazing, surely God was in that place. We had two of our team members share their heart felt testimonies. First, Joey went starting off with a "Praise the Lord" and Libby followed with her genuine passion for what Lord had moved in her life. We had a great message of truth from Dave, preaching from Luke. The children participated eagerly and were very greatful of our presence. Afterwards we opened up the floor for the children to walk around and come tallk to us and ask questions. A 11 year old girl, named Grace dedicated her life to Christ and was born again! Praise the Lord! Another young girl named Marci rededicated her life to Christ. It was such a blessing to see two young girls have a burning desire to love Christ, have their lives changed, and to dwell with Him in eternity. Please pray for us that our spirits will be renewed and ready each morning to share the amazing promises God has to offer those who follow him.
Jaclyn

First ministry day. Friday 7/25

2008-07-26T00:33:00.003+09:00

It is a blessing to be here worshiping and sharing Christ with believers halfway around the world. This morning we met up with students from Kampala University (KU) and Kampala International University (KIU). We broke off into groups of three, one from each group, and went to the womens hostels (dormatorys) at KIU. There we went door to door sharing the good news of Christ. I was amazed to see how receptive these students were to invite us in and listen to what we had to say. Some said they were "saved" so that we would leave them alone. Others "accepted" Christ as their Savior. But it seemed to be that they were needing to be somewhere and they thought it was the easiest way to have us leave. There was one girl though that did sincerely give her life to Christ. We learned that her sister, who is a believer, has been talking to her about Christ (she was watering the seed). It was a blessing to be a part in seeing the harvest take place as the Lord comforted this young woman. Be praying for our courage and our safety. In Christ- Jason

update- the flight and arrival

2008-07-26T00:12:00.002+09:00

We arrived safely on Wednesday night. We met another believer named Latoya, from Kansas, who was traveling to Uganda to work with a church in Jinja. She was alone and basically stranded at the airport. We took her in for the night and helped her get reconnected with her hosts in the morning, and were able to encourage her spiritually. Kaye also met another young girl from Canada who had recently given her life to Christ. Kaye thought she was with our team but she was with a different team though traveling alone. Her ride was not there at the airport and she also was a bit stranded. Come to find out she was staying down the street from us in Kampala, so we gave her a ride. Sam Bishop "happened" to be on the same flights with us from Memphis to Uganda as he came to work in Uanda with an Orphanage in Jinja. Sam is wheelchair bound and has no use of his legs. We were able to help him in the airport and even with the challenge of getting him and his electric wheelchair onto the van.
It is awesome to witness and be apart of God taking care of, and provision for His children whether from Kansas, Canada, MS, or even Uganda.

On thurday we got some supplies, did some training, planning, shopping, ate Thai-gandan food, and a grilled Nile Perch (head to tail). Its a bit akward eating a fish whose watching you.

Uganda Team Itinerary

2008-07-23T04:01:00.000+09:00

Schedule July 23-Aug. 3

July 23
8:15: Arrival at Entebbe Airport

July 24
8: Breakfast at Maranatha Guest House
9-11: Orientation at Carson’s house
11:15-12: Go to Garden City Mall to exchange money, buy water or snacks, etc
12: Lunch at Garden City Mall
2-4: Nsambya Secondary School (need a preacher with evangelistic sermon, 2 testimonies, and a song if possible)
6: Supper out

July 25
8: Breakfast at Maranatha
9:30-11:30: Door to door at KIU hostels
12: Lunch out
2-4: Everlight College (needs are same as above)
6: Grill out at the Carson’s house

July 26
8: Breakfast at Maranatha
10-2:30: Relationship Seminar taught by Dave (Three sessions taught…after each session students break up to discuss. Have your students familiar with material to facilitate small groups)
3:30: Late lunch/supper
7-9: Saturday night service at KIU (preacher and two testimonies…not necessarily salvation testimonies…could be just an encouraging word)

July 27
7: Breakfast at Maranatha
8-10:30: Service at KIU (preacher and two testimonies)
12: Lunch
4-6: Discipleship (if possible you will need to make out some discussion questions to pass out for discussion and then one will wrap up the session)
7: Supper out

July 28
8: Breakfast at Maranatha
9:30-11:30: Door to door at KIU hostels
12: Lunch out
5-6: KIU men and women split up for Bible study (I will get you the topic asap)
7: Supper out

July 29
8: Breakfast at Maranatha
9:30-12: Canvass Soweto (very poor area that we are slowly seeing work start in)
12:15: Quick lunch at Quality Cuts (sandwiches)
1-2: Bible study at KIU (one teacher)
3-4:30: Muyenga High School (needs are same as two schools above)
6: Supper at Carson’s house

July 30
8: Breakfast at Maranatha
9:30-12:30: Door to door at Old Kampala (area we work with that has little or no Christian work…it is predominantly Muslim)
1-2:30: Lunch out
3-5: Kawuku house church (one preacher and a couple of encouraging testimonies)
6: Supper out

July 31-August 2
6:30: Breakfast at Maranatha
7: Depart for Murchison Falls National Park

August 3
8: Breakfast at Maranatha
9-12: Shopping for African arts
12:30: Lunch
2-5:45: Pack for departure
6: Depart for Entebbe Airport

Uganda 08 Mission Team

2008-07-22T05:33:00.003+09:00

We are leaving July 22- returning August 4th. Please pray for the team:
David, Jacylin, Paul, Candace, Joey, Ashley, Chris, Libby,
Jason, Levi, Tyler, Clay

Tuesday-In the City

2008-03-13T10:57:00.003+09:00

When I think of Toronto and our attempt to somehow reach out to people with God's love, I think of the song by Kutless: "I see the city lights all around me/everyone's obscure/ ten million people each with their problems/why should anyone care." We were compelled to care for people because Jesus was compelled to care for us. The way that we did this was by going to the University of Toronto on a Tuesday afternoon and try to gauge the spiritual interest that the university students had by going through some surveys and starting conversations with them. Tim Hortons coffee coupons were used to help encourage people to pause for a few minutes. Some of their answers seemed spiritually colder towards Christianity than the blustery cold wind we felt that day; yet, many of their answers revealed an honest searching for something more than what they already know. At the very least, they were forced to think about it. Will we ever see any change in some of the students? Probably not. We have to leave that with God; all He wanted us to do was to show love and compassion on people He placed in front of us just as He showed us love and compassion. Please pray for Toronto. -Jonathon Clay <><

Monday-A bright sunny day

2008-03-12T10:51:00.004+09:00

On Monday, March 10th we got up early enough to make a Timmy Horton run (that's coffee for you that don't know), for breakfast before making it to a Realtor Bible study at a church member's home. It was really neat to meet some of the church members and listen to their sharp Canadian accents as they explained their views and perceptions of Christ and how He works in us.
Chris Adams led the study teaching us about submission to Christ and submission to higher authorities in our lives. Real life world examples helped us to relate to the text of God's word such as obeying the speed limits on the roads, bosses at work and God. We discussed how people today tend to ignore commands and laws for their own benefit.
On the other side of the coin, we discussed how in some situations, it is absolutely necessary for us as Christians to obey God, place Him first over man and man's authority/laws. Examples of this would be to share Christ in a foreign country that mandates sharing Christ is illegal.
After we said our goodbyes at the study, we made our way to Casey's, a restaurant similar to T.G.I.F.'s. People ate meals that ranged from a bison buffalo burger to Indian curry sandwiches. Once these tasty meals were completed, we ventured back to the Adams' home where we finished off the afternoon with the majority of young adults playing in the backyard. Not only did they play, they also created a snow person that resembled Janet Anglin (it appeared to be carrying and baby snowman) complete with earmuffs and scarf. A snowball fight also ensued during the time outside with David Anglin capturing the event with his trusty videocam.
For dinner, we chowed down on cold cut and cheese sandwiches with salad on the side. The evening ended with loud conversations, laughing, joking and watching "Transformers." It was awesome to watch it while counting all the times TV Guardian nipped in the bud the inappropriate comments. - Alison Culver

Toronto finally!!!!!

2008-03-10T11:30:00.005+09:00

So we are now finally in Toronto safely!! Even through the crazy times of one flight being canceled, having only our carry ons, that some of us had very few essentials, and having our GPS take us on to a pedestrian bridge at Niagara falls (oops), by the grace of GOD we were able to catch an earlier flight to Buffalo. The night before we got stuck in Detroit because of some weather problems and our next flight was not supposed to leave until 9:30 p.m. Sunday night (about 3 hours after the enterprise rental car desk closes). God was looking after us and we were ALL able to catch a flight, that was over booked and was impossible for us to get on to, 12 hours before our original flight was supposed to leave. Now we are graciously in Toronto relaxing and fellowshiping with the Adams family!!

Tomorrow we will be getting into the ministry groove and will be participating in a relators bible study!

Update from Detroit

2008-03-09T11:43:00.002+09:00

We're spending the night in Detroit tonight. Our flight to Buffalo got canceled, but God is in control of all things. Had our flight not gotten canceled, one of our team members would have missed the flight because her flight to Detroit was delayed. God has shown himself to be in control of every part of the trip so far even in the circumstances that seem like an inconvenience.

Continue to pray for the team:

Alison Culver

Aubrey Waisner

Candace King

David Anglin

Jonathon Clay

Clay DeBolt

Chris Herndon

David Windham

2008-03-07T08:04:00.002+09:00

LHBC 20Somethings

Overflow Toronto '08

March 8th-15th

Pray.

July 8 -July 16

2007-07-18T03:06:00.000+09:00

As Sarah told you in the last update, Pastor K, a champion for the persecuted church, passed away on Saturday night. He was 47 years old. Many of our friends here traveled with him from the hospital in Ubon back to his country so he could die with his family there. Before he went to be with Jesus, everyone gathered around him and Chansamone read the last chapters of the book of Revelation. Then they prayed together and Pastor K waved goodbye and went to his eternal home. And in that moment what was read to him became reality. It was a very sad week here but in the sadness is joy. Joy in knowing that after all Pastor K’s hardship and imprisonments for the name of Jesus he finally saw the face of his Savior. Pastor K was a major spiritual leader in the Christian community in his country. Over 700 people attended him funeral. Each of them representing a life touched by Jesus through Pastor K. Please continue to pray for the persecuted church and the furthering of the Gospel despite the oppression.

On Sunday morning, John and I taught a class at Mekong Church Posai. We had a great time and the Lord definitely blessed our time there. Its hard to believe that considering John and I’s past that anyone would let us get up in front of a group and say anything much less actually talk about Jesus. It was such a privilege to teach others what God has taught us. On Monday I got pink eye and it was pretty difficult to find someone to take me to the doctor because all of the English speakers had gone to Lao. I first got taken to a temple to see someone that they told me was a doctor but I don’t think she was because there was a dog running around in there. But I did finally get to a real doctor and I’m using some drops but its now spread to the other eye. The rest of the week we continued teaching at school and John did some construction. It was a slow week but it gave of plenty of time to spend with the Lord. On Saturday, we all went to Ubon with Suay to do some shopping. It was a much needed reconnection with civilization! We got to eat at KFC for lunch and it was great! On Sunday, John attended Mekong Church Natan and Sarah and I went to Mekong Church Nonprassert. As I sat there I just looked around the room at all the faces of God’s children. I love worshiping with them. I usually have no idea what anyone is saying but I know whom they are singing to and speaking about. On Monday, a friend of ours went to the hospital to have her baby. We were able to visit with her before she delivered and to pray for her. While we were there we met a 13-year-old girl who had been raped and was in labor. Please pray for her and her salvation. She is giving away her daughter so please pray that the baby will be adopted into a Christian home.

As we begin our last week serving in Nonprassert, I don’t think that its really hit me that we are leaving yet. The time of ministry that I’ve had here has been great and I have learned so much. It’s gone much farther than the two week mission trip. We’ve learned what its like to be missionaries. Not every situation has been ideal or glamorous but its been real. We’ve seen the daily hardships of these people and we have seen their faith in action. We’ve seen them trust God when they don’t know how they are going to pay the bills. We’ve seen them display the comfort and peace that their Savior gives during the loss of a dear friend. We’ve seen them confident of God’s call and commission of their lives in the face of their oppressors. The Lord has shown me that its great to go a remote place and sacrifice my time and comfort for two weeks or even two months, but He’s shown me that he requires much more of me than this. The Lord has used us here but what can really be accomplished in two months? What will really impact eternity? It’s a life used by God. Not just two weeks or two months of my life, but the whole thing. Please continue to pray for the persecuted church and for the family of Pastor K. Please pray that God would continue to reveal himself to the nations.

July 1st-July 7th

2007-07-09T21:24:00.000+09:00

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and for the people we are ministering alongside. John, Erin and I started off our week by attending church at Non Prassert. We prayed that we would be able to worship and somehow understand what was going on even though there was a language barrier. The Lord answered our prayers by having Suay and Pon translate for us.
This week Erin and I taught in the schools and John did construction. John helped Tom build a baptistry in his church. The children in the schools are having mid-terms soon so Erin and I are trying to get get them ready for that (keyword trying). Friday, we went with Jay, his wife and a few other people to pass out Bibles in three villages around Jay's church. Most of the people we gave Bibles to had never heard of Jesus. Jay said we were truly reaching to the ends of the earth that day. It is hard to wrap my brain around that considering I live in the "Bible-Belt" and I have more than one Bible in my room and live around stores that sell them as well. I am learning just how blessed I am and how I have turned that blessing into a curse and taken it for granted. I think that is what we are all learning. How selfish we are, how much we get and how little we give, not just of our money but our time and our lives. That became even more clear on Saturday when we received the news that a pastor from another country was moments from passing away, we later learned that he did in fact pass away. This man has known persectution and what it means to stand in the gap for people. He lived his life as a bond-servant for Jesus and suffered in His name. His faith is now sight. I started thinking of this man's life and what we had heard about it from other people and I started thinking about suffering. I have no idea what that means. I don't suffer for Jesus. I live in a country where I don't fear for my life because of what I believe, at the most someone might not like me. Most people don't care that you believe in Jesus, it's okay if that's what you believe. Around here it isn't like that. Spending a summer without hot water, or air conditioning isn't suffering for Jesus. Risking your life for the cause of Christ so just one person can hear about Jesus, standing up for the persecuted church in your country, this is suffering. That is what this man did. His life was a testimony of the grace of God in his life and will continue to be until this age is over. All three of us have been challenged by the Lord in different ways. We are so thankful to be here and learn from such great men and women of God. Continue to pray for us and for everyone here.

Until He Comes....Sarah

June 24th- June 30th

2007-06-30T22:48:00.000+09:00

Thank you all for the prayers that you have lifted up for us this past week. We are so grateful for your commitment to prayer and to us. This week has been a fun time of learning for us. On Sunday, Sarah and I worshipped at Mekong Church Nonprassert and John went with the team from Lighthouse to Mekong Church Natan. It was my first time to meet with the Ladies Sunday School Class that I got to teach when I was here last year. Even though we don't speak the same language we are bonding together as sisters in Christ and the LORD let us enjoy our kinship that morning. Two ladies from the class, Weepa and Lumiai are expecting. Weepa's due date is in 2 weeks and Lumiai's is this week so please keep them in your prayers. At the worship service, Sarah and I had know idea what anyone was talking about but we know that the LORD does. It is an amazing thing to see God from their eyes... He is so much bigger than we tend to give Him credit for. On Monday, Sarah and I taught at school in the morning and that afternoon we worked with the team from Lighthouse. We were able to pass out Bibles in a village and share our testimonies with some of the people that we met. John and I got to speak to a man who had previously read some literature about Jesus. He told us that he held to two religions, Christianity and Buddhism. Jay(pastor of Mekong Church Posai) shared with him from the New Testament and he tried to show him as best he could that no one can serve to masters. As John and I stood there it was obvious to us that you cannot serve buddha and Jesus but the Lord reminded me to not think to highly of myself because how often am I just like this man. I don't bow my knee to buddha but I am too often found kneeling to the world. Idols are easily hidden in America and that day I was reminded to search out the idols in my life and destroy them. Please keep this man in your prayers; please pray that God would break down the lies that are built up in his mind and that the LORD would give us all an undivided heart. Sarah also met a buddhist woman named Pren-Jit. She was able to spend some time with her and the lady really bonded to her. We are suppose to go visit her again this week so please keep her salvation in your prayers also. That afternoon, we planted a field of rice. Its harder than it sounds. Knee deep mud, no shoes, bent over for hours... that pretty sums it up. We had a blast! On Tuesday, we took a trip aross the river to the country next to us. We went to take some books to our friends. I have to admit all of us were a little apprehensive at first but God is the one who walks with us and is our protector. The backpacks were heavy and the sun was hot. But God blessed us that day and 221 books made it safely to a land where people need hope. We would have to say that the major difference between Thailand and this country is that the people there don't smile. They are in desperate need of hope and unfailing Love. Please pray for our friends in this country; pray that the eyes of their oppressors would be blinded when the need to be blinded and that they would see when they need to see; pray for the presecuted; pray for living conditions that they have to endure; pray for the spread of real Hope and that salvation would spring up from the ground. On Wednesday, we woke up to take the first hot shower in about a month in our hotel. So praise the LORD! We continued our time across the river. We visited some more groups of our friends and played with some of the children. We also got to see a breathtaking waterfall. In the afternoon we crossed back into Thailand and drove back to Nonprassert. On Thursday the Lighthouse team had to go back to America. :( it was a sad afternoon. We really miss their sweet spirit and we miss having some more english speakers around. That afternoon we got to go to the Lotus and eat at KFC! It was a little comfort from home that we needed. Friday was a day to get back to normal, we returned to school and construction work. Today, Saturday, was a day of relaxation. There was a birthday party tonight for Ethan, Jay's son, who turned 4, and there was also a cookout for the radio station. We had a great time playing with all the kids and spending time with our new friends. It's at times like these that we really feel like we are a part of the family here. Thank you so much for taking the time to read our blogs and to pray for us. Your prayers will have eternal impact for the Kingdom and we are so thankful for them. Sarah and I will be updating every Saturday night so please check back next week. We love you all!

Until He comes...

Erin

Thailand 07 : : Video

2007-06-27T03:03:00.000+09:00

Here is a video link to see a little of what God did in Thailand during the 2 week trip. Continue to pray for the summer team as John, Erin, & Sarah continue to serve, teach, and eat crickets for God's glory.

Thailand 07 Video

Our First Week June 17th-23rd

2007-06-23T14:38:00.000+09:00

This was our first week without the team being here. Sunday we went to Mekong Church Natan. This is Tom's church and Neville was preaching a series so we decided to go so we could hear a sermon in english. Tom asked if one of us would share our testimony so we decided that I would do it. Monday, Erin and I taught in the school while John did construction. We didn't realize that we would be real teachers with papers to grade but that is what we are doing. It gets easier everyday and if nothing else we are having fun with the kids. John has been helping Tom with some work around his church. Tuesday night, Neville and Christine asked us to come and have dinner with them at their house. We enjoyed it so much! It was a great time of encouragement for us. Christine made some chicken macaroni that was so good. We loved eating something besides thai food. They also played Days of Elijah for us and it reminded us of Longview. Wednesday, John did more construction and Muai asked Erin and myself to go with her to Ubon to pick up a team that was coming in from Nashville. They are from Lighthouse Church, where Tom and Chan are from. Thursday, we taught in the schools and John did more work. We taught the team some songs that we did in Khao Lak so they could do them with us on Friday. Friday, we went to a school about 30 minutes away from Non Prassert to promote the radio station around here and to help in the schools, we split up into 3 rooms. Some of us went into the Bible room and shared the Gospel, some of the group did music and then the rest of us went into an english room. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a great time. We have had some down time which has been very refreshing. There is a library on the compound that has a lot of christian books. We have spent a lot of time reading and meditating on the word. It has been so nice to spend so much time with the Lord and to re-focus. We are getting used to the food, heat, insects and cold showers. Continue to pray for us as we minister alongside the families that live here. We are so thankful to be here. Until He Comes...Sarah

Sunday Ministry

2007-06-11T20:07:00.000+09:00

Today we awoke in Ubon after a late night of church planting and a 2 hour drive. We headed to Non-Prassert. Non Prassert is were the ministry of the Mercy Foundation and Mekong Evangelical Church (Baptist) are located. The service began at 10am and we arrived sharply at 10:10. We walked in to a room of about 200 believers (of less then 5 years) worshiping with nothing being held back. It was an awesome service. We shared the drama, sang, and preached. They fed us a great spread of food (mostly identifiable but all good).

Sunday afternnoon we loaded the bus and headed for another village Don-He. This is a village that actually had a church about five years ago but the leadership left and the church all but folded. There was one family that continued to pray for God to bring a church to their village. They even had a church building that had been built years ago. We set a huge stage up and had a blowout service. This village has about 700 homes and the largest Buddha Statue you have ever seen. There has been a guy in training at the seminary here at Mekong Bible Seminary that has been discipled over the last 4 years and will be Pastoring the plant. We had a massive turnout with a similar service clearly storying through God's plan of creation, the fall, crucifixion, and restoration of man. Each person who came got there first Bible.

Saturday Nights Ministry

2007-06-11T18:13:00.000+09:00

Wow! the last two days have been a whirl-wind of ministry. The ministry in the Non-Jik was incredible. This village has several 100 homes. We had a meal for the community and then a service. During the service our team participated in several fun songs to get people involved and give them a chance to laugh at the funny farong (Americans/foreigners). Our team shared the drama once again and then after the scene of the crucifixion David preached with Chansamone translating. After sharing with them the good news of a Creator God who has made a way for us to be restored to Him through Jesus. the drama team ended the service with the resurrection and restoration scenes. The service was very effective at laying a foundation for future evangelism and giving the believers a starting point to begin sharing Christ with their friends and neighbors. One lady said, "we have NEVER had anyone come to our village and talk about God." After the service we laid hands on the planting team and prayed for them as they begin this venture. The implications of this ministry are huge as they are just a few miles from the Cambodia border.
One funny note is that we Farong we quite mesmerized by the giant geckos devouring the bugs on the illuminated wall behind the stage. We are talking 10-12 inches long and heads 2 inches wide.

Ministry in Ubon Ratchachani

2007-06-09T17:43:00.000+09:00

We arrived in Ubon Ratchachani via Bangkok yesterday (friday). Ubon is a province in Northeast Thailand. The ministry here is a amazing. This morning we awoke early ate breakfast and headed over to a property recently purchased for Mekong Church Ubon. The church was begun about ten years ago. Chansamone was teaching English at Ubon University and launched the church with University students. The first Convert was Pu who is now the Pastor of the Church. They are in the process of building a 300 seat worship building and we had the privledge of helping to pour 7 of the foundational columns.

This afternoon and evening we will be working in a village called Non Jik to help launch a new church. There are atleast 1000 people living in this village. There has never been a Church in this village. This is the home village of Pu (the pastor of the Ubon Church). Pu's father became a Cristian and then other families followed. They have been traveling back to Ubon 2 hours for the last 2 yrs. Since Pu followed Christ 10 years ago several Non Jik families have also believed and the time is ripe for a church plant. We will be doing a Drama depicting creation, the fall of man, the crucifiction of Jesus, and resurection and salvation of man. David will be preaching and we will be singing.

Sunday we will worship in Non Prasert, were the mother Church is located. Directly after church we will drive to another village in the Lueng Nokta District (another 2 hours away).

tsunami orphans

2007-06-05T21:00:00.000+09:00

The last several days we traveled to a local school where we met with orphans who have been adopted by relatives/friends after the tsunami. We sang songs, played frisbee, and blew bubbles. Dave shared the gospel to the orphans and their families. He explained the importance of the bondage that sin brings as well as repentance, which brings so much freedom and life. Tom, Suwanne, Suay, and Muay have been insturmental in the rebuilding of lives, and houses after the devastating wave. We are learning some Thai words and also getting used to the heat! We took a ferry ride today to go and see some of the houses that Mercy Foundation built after the tsunami. So far this has been a great trip. We have enjoyed getting to know Tom and the others.

Sunday @ Khao Lak

2007-06-03T15:30:00.000+09:00

We arrived in Bangkok on saturday with all but 4 bags (which have been returned, save 1). Caught a connecting flight on AirAsia to Phuket. Dinner and some shopping for supplies at the Lotus (walmart + foodcourt= thai mall). We finished our journey of about 40 hours in Khao lak. This is the sight of much of the Tsunami damage. As we drove into town we desended from a hill with a resort from much many of the videos that captured the devestating wave were taken.
Today (sunday), we had breakfast and worshiped the King of the Universe. We are presently getting ready to visit with 60 Tsunami Orphans to share with them the love and hope of Jesus.
We are also prayful for our church home Longview as it is 1:42pm here and 1:42am in MS. As you awaken this morning we attest and affirm that the Lord's Mercies are new every morning. We pray for the service at Longview that Jesus is lifted high.
David

all together

2007-06-02T09:21:00.000+09:00

We are finally all together (except for Levi who is already in Bangkok). We are about to board the plane for Bangkok. We'll check in soon.

Arrival in Hong Kong

2007-06-02T07:18:00.000+09:00

We are in Hong Kong. Well.......atleast 9 of us. 4 of us got bumped in LA and put on a later flight about 1.5 hours. Don't weep for them too quick, they got first class on their flight. We should all meet back up in Hong Kong and be together on our flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok. Other exciting events included Sarah losing her boarding pass from gate screening to the gate (like 200 steps). And Ashley leaving her bag at the screening check point (causing some sprinting by the gate agent to recover the bag). Overall God has been gracious to us and worked out the challenges. Keep Praying for His Sovereign hand to guide us.

Thailand Mission Trip 07

2007-05-30T13:15:00.000+09:00

May 31st is rapidly approaching.
Please be praying for our missions Team.

5/31 - 7/26 Team:
John Allen
Sarah Puddephat
Erin Price

5/31 - 6/13 Team:
David Anglin
Joey Pomeroy
Levi Bump
Barak Griffin
Jake DeVantier
Adam Clark
Clay Debolt
Becky Moore
Ashley Roberson
Haley Cochran
Holly Long
Check back for regular updates.

Reflections

2007-03-16T10:13:00.000+09:00

(Cumulative Timmies = 52ish)

Hi!!

We're the Deffett twins! (Erica and Aaron - 17 years old as of today) Guess a number? ...JUST KIDDING!!

This is Erica, the oldest of the two, and is fortunate enough to be writing this blog for many of reasons. My mother's friend, Jariane, had told her about The Journey Church many years ago and as of a few months ago I have become an active member...and I just love it! Over the last few months I have been blessed to meet soo many wonderful Christ followers who have truly impacted my life. In July 2006, LHBC Youth's Missions Team had visited Toronto, Canada where they brought their love and passion for God for the others of the GTA to witness. Once they had left to go back home, did I realize how much they touched my life and I thank each one of them for that. A few months ago, I gave myself to Christ and it was due to my church's love for Christ and the relationships of those from the trip that lead me to this decision. I am soo thankful for the Journey Church because without them our paths would not have crossed. I am looking forward to this summer coming! :)

This is Aaron, the youngest of the two, but the biggest. I have had the great pleasure to have started my Journey with Christ this year, with the Journey Church. I started my journey before I knew I was on one. My mom kept bothering me to come to this, "church", and being a Catholic I was kind of sick of the whole "Church" rituals and routines, so I brushed her off for about a few months. Then last Mother's Day, I didn't get my mother a gift, and I said if I come with you today to church, will that be good enough, and obviously she said yes! So I went and just loved what I was learning, each week,I learned that being a believer was about relationships rather then rituals and I loved that and I was excited to go every Sunday, something that surprised me more then ever. Then June 26 I believe, there was a BBQ at Sam and Kelley's house, current members of the Journey Church. That night I met a kid named Tyler, from Georgia, who lead me to Christ on the front porch and my life has changed for the better ever since. A couple weeks after accepting Christ into my life, a group from LHBC came up and all of them taught me more about being a follower of Christ, quiet times, how to represent God to others and since then, with some ups and downs and a few challenges, I've learned to trust God more and more and my relationship with him has grown stronger. Along the way, I was proud to see my sister and mother grow and accept Christ into their hearts as well and my life is so much more joyful with the support of both my families, my church family and my immediate family.

Early this morning at around 9:00 a.m. we departed the Adam's house and headed up to Barrie for some snow tubing. We had a lot of laughs and grew even closer together. After a few runs, we all headed up to the chalet where we ate lunch. The morning was soo much fun that we were ready to hit the hills once again. While in line, some of us were able to spark a few conversations about the Journey Church and were able to hand out a few tracts.

It has been a wonderful experience and have grown in our relationship with Christ by being in fellowship with our brothers and sisters.

// Erica and Aaron Deffett

Day 5 - R.A.K.

2007-03-15T12:34:00.000+09:00

Hello,

Today was the day for random acts of kindness. While that's what I'm going to talk about (pronounced "a boat" up here) at some point, it's hard not to recap the whole week thus far.

Some high points are:

Sunday - Leading worship for the journey church, meeting the people from Ghana, France, England, Ireland, Canada, etc. The food fellowship was most definitely Baptistic, wow, these ladies can cook. We met the twins and got to know them (new believers that God has planted in the journey church). "Do you want some gum?"

Monday - Our group rode the Go Train into downtown Toronto and worked with a local university. This was awesome.

Tuesday - Chris H. and I surveyed a local neighborhood for spiritual interest. Chris climbed the porch stairs on at least 30+ houses and rang the door bell even though it took a lot out of him physically. This was definitely my high for the day.

Which brings us to Wednesday.

Today we were entrusted with money and had to decide 1) in what use will the money be most impactful in touching individuals for Christ and 2) how can we maxmize the money we have been given to reach the most people in that way. We split into two groups. My group decided to minister to the needs of parents with children. We made gift bags to give to children along with water bottles and snacks for both children and parents. The overwhelming majority gladly accepted the gifts given in the name of God's love for them as a representation of the greatest gift they can ever have, that is Jesus Christ. People are very receptive to God's love, but Brampton is an area of over 420,000 people and 50% are immigrants. The journey church website had several new visitors in the hours after our ministry work.

This evening, the Langley family came over to the Adams' house and we were able to encourage them and love on their four sons, all under the age of 7 (one 4 mos.). Jeremy Langley is the only IMB college pastor in Ontario and has worked over the past several years trying to reach the Ontario university student population (over half a million students). God recently called his family to plant their lives in Southeast Asia. Talk about few laborers. Pray for his family as well as the students here.

May _your_ light shine among men that they may see _your_ good works and glorify _your_ Father in heaven.

-D. Windham

Day 4- More Surveys!!!!

2007-03-14T21:56:00.000+09:00

(Timmy Count- 7)
Today started out a little more mellow compared to the rest of the week. We had a "Sanctuary House" from around 9:30am till around 10:15am; where we got to have our time alone with God and really pray diligently about the days we still have ahead of us. We ate an early lunch at The Mandarin, a great oriental restaurant in town (awesome Sushi!!!). Then after a group picture or 10 we headed back to the house. But it doesnt end there. After getting back to the house, We got together in our groups and got ready to go door to door in a nearby neighborhood. At first we were all really excited to go out and do it again, but after the 4th house telling us that they didnt have time we got a little discouraged. The Lord gave Clint and I a reassurance that he was with us when he led us to Sonny. Sonny was outside washing his car when we approached him and at first he thought we were sketchy, after finding that we were trying to share a little Jesus with him he lightened up and informed us that he was attending a baptist church in another part of town but that he would love more information and that he was 100% supportive of what we were doing. The team was able to make several great contacts with new people in the area with a variety of responses. We met back at the house at 4 ish and had a short break before eating an early dinner. We headed out of the Adam's house to make room for 8 women to meet together with the Kristie for a Women's Bible Study. We joined up with the Journey Youth for a fellowship of Laser tag (connected with several youth prospects also).

Day 3 - monday : : Toronto

2007-03-13T12:37:00.000+09:00

(Timmie Count= 5)

Today we jumped on the GO Train to run around Toronto. We spread out on the GO train to look for opportnities to talk with people commuting to Toronto about the Lord. The highlight of our time downtown was a visit to Ryerson University to do some "Spiritual Interest" surveys. The University is right in the middle of downtown and has a student population over around 70,000. We offered $2 Tim Horton's gift certificates in exchange for the survey info. It was very interesting and inspiring to see the way the people responded to some of the questions. For example, one of the questions was, "Which area of your life are you most concerned with?" The multiple choices were: a)physical, b)emotional, c)spiritual, or d)intellectual. Most of the answers to this particular question were emotional and intellectual. Seeing how emotionally drained and wrecked the people were without having a relationship and dependency upon the Lord was heartbreaking. God was moving upon hearts today and bringing conviction, and it is really amazing to see Him reaching out to them and how much He loves them. Overall we got between 45-50 contacts with Ryerson students. 14 of them indicated openess to learning more about being a follower of Christ. About the same number indicated they would be interested in coming to a church plant or Bible Study geared for College students if it was offered.

-Britt

2007-03-12T05:48:00.000+09:00

Day 2 (Tim count 2 trips)

With this day being Sunday, we had the privilege of participating in worship with the Journey Church; this year, there were more there than usual in several different ways. First of all, there were about 35 people present at worship. Because we were anticipating more than usual for worship and lunch, we had to shift our place of worship from the Adams' house to the Brown's house. Second, the worship today was very multinational; some of the countries represented were France, Ghana, and the United Kingdom. Thirdly, with some of the different nationalities came different religions and cults including Ba'hai and Mormonism. However, even with this variety on many different levels, something occurred that rarely happens on any given Sunday in eastern Canada-- the preaching, teaching, and worshiping of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, this church in Canada does not grow as fast as some churches in the U.S. However, it is still amazing to hear some of the stories of the people who are now involved and associated with the Journey Church; it is an absolute God thing how some of these people and families have made it here, where, last year, these people were not even on the radar. God is definitely testing our patience. We must continue to trust His guidance. Please continue to pray for us as we head out on Monday to get our hands and feet involved in serving Jesus. --Jonathon

saturday :: the journey to toronto

2007-03-12T05:14:00.000+09:00

The day started off very very early (5am). Mark Cantrell took us to the airport and dropped us off. We got through to the terminal with no problems and saw Jessica Renfrow at the airport as she was heading to Hilton Head. We had a good flight to Dallas and ate lunch at TGI Fridays. After lunch it was time to get on our second plane which brought us to Canada. We mostly slept on the plane rides. We finally made it in to Toronto, Canada about 3p.m. While going through customs Britt realized that he left his passport on the plane. So he got interrogated by the Canadian custom officers. Also, Clay was so nervous that he wouldn't get in the country for some reason that he caught the attention of border patrol and they gave him an extra round of intimidating questions, but every thing turned out just fine. Then Britt finally got out of his interrogation and was able to join us. We got our vans (Clint is now ready to be the soccer dad that he has dreamed of driving a "pimped out" maroon [Go STATE!] Dodge Caravan)and drove to the Adam's house. Of course we had to stop by Tim Horton's before getting to the house. We all needed the caffeine!!! The Adam's family welcomed us with open arms and opened hearts. I was told the Adam's girls were little, but they are almost teenagers. We all got settled and then headed out to dinner. We ate dinner at Swiss Chalet and had great fellowship. After dinner we all went back to the house and crashed.

Amber
Clint

Toronto 07

2007-03-01T00:29:00.000+09:00

The LHBC 20 Somethings are in the final stages of preparation to journey north for the Toronto Mission Trip 07, from March 10-16, 2007. This is our forth year partnering with the Journey Church, Brampton Ontario. http://www.thejourneychurch.ca/ . Please be praying for our team:
David Anglin Britt Hodge
Clint Loudermilk Amber Smith
Bethany Goodman Tuyet Nyugen
Clay Debolt Jonathon Clay
Chris Herndon David Windham
Pray that God would gives us His eyes, ears, hands, and feet. Pray that he would lead us into Divine appointments to share the love and message of Jesus with many Bramptonians. Pray that would be able to encourage the Journey Church and help them as they seek to impact the lostness of Brampton and Toronto.

june 9- Friday

2006-06-11T00:00:00.000+09:00

today was hard work... but the joy of the Lord was our strength. We knocked down two walls, moved 30,000 Bibles, got attacked by all kinds of bugs and plants, moved 30ft metal poles, cleaned up debris from construction of an outdoor meeting hall, but it was all for the kingdom so it was great. Its hard to see times like today as ministry but it facilitates the spread of the gospel among the Issan people so praise the Lord that we were considered worthy of the task. after the hard work we got to go back to the Mekong and cliff jump and swim a bit more. by the night, rest was our goal and the bed never felt better.
- until He comes- Erin

June 8- Thursday

2006-06-10T23:35:00.000+09:00

today the team spent into two groups. the guys started on the construction work... they began the hard work of cleaning out rooms and knocking down walls to renovate a new study area and library for the seminary. the girls continued english classes at Mercy Christian school and we helped organize the schools library. after lunch we got to pass out Bibles at the elementary school and at the preschool. it was amazing to see the children actually reading them... one of the teachers actually began a lesson from the little new testaments. the Word of God will not return void (isaih 55:10-11) and it is such a privilege to be a laborer for this harvest. For dinner we drove to Kemmerat and ate from street vendors and got ice cream from the 711! it was a nice treat!
-until He comes- Erin

June 7 - Wednesday

2006-06-09T00:16:00.000+09:00

Today, we took part in the chapel service for the Mercy Christian school. All of the students filed into the church sanctuary with their special Wednesday uniforms on. They sat on the floor in perfect rows and sang Thai, Christian songs. David and some of the others from our team and the team from Iowa taught the students the song "Our God is So Big" in English. The students really enjoyed the song and put their hearts into the hand motions. After the songs, David had volunteers come up on stage and act out the story of Shadrack, Meshack, and Abed-Nego as he told it. This story really hits home here in Thailand where idol worship is a huge focus. Several of the volunteers were quite the actors. It was precious and a great message to share with these students. It was a great reminder that God is the only true GOD and that when we choose to follow HIM, we can overcome the most difficult of circumstances.

After chapel, we taught English classes at the school. The students are so respectful and excited to learn English. Many of them have been captivated by our "white" skin, which has been fun to watch. We also continued to practice Christian songs with them in English.

We all split into teams again and went out evangelizing in the villages. We went to rural areas today and presented Bibles to the people. The Gideon Bibles that we are using makes evangelizing without a translator possible, b/c they are half English and half Thai. I have been able to read and point out verses in English and then have them read the same verses in Thai. The locals seem to be more receptive to the Word when an American presents it to them. As Kelley has already posted, receiving Christ in Thailand is a very difficult decision, b/c it affects every aspect of your lifestyle. By God's grace, I was fortunate enough to witness an older Thai lady surrender her life to Jesus. Apparently, she had been seeking the Truth and had heard about Jesus on Christian t.v. She was so overwhelmed and gave her heart to Christ after asking questions and reading the Bible we presented to her. She finally found the only ONE who could fill the void in her life! PRAISE the LORD!!! It was amazing. Evangelizing here in Thailand has been a challenge to me. I realize how serious deciding to follow Christ is and should be. It is not just fire insurance or a free ride through life (as many in our culture treat it) and should not be a decision that is made in haste. We as AMerican Christians should allow Christ to affect every aspect of our lives as well, and we should stand out as "different" even in our own culture! Thanks for all the prayers! God is definitely at work here!

In HIS grip~ Audie=)

June 6- Tuesday

2006-06-07T23:37:00.000+09:00

Today we began our first day of teaching in the Mercy Christian English School. Most of us were a little unsure of ourselves and what this task held for us. We were given a schedule of classes and upon entering the classroom a workbook out of which to teach. The children all stand and say, "Good morning teachu!" After the lesson, some of us taught the children to sing "Jesus Loves Me".
After lunch, we headed out into the village of Natang. This village was much more rural than the village from the day before. People in the more rural villages are even more ensnared in the rituals of temple life. As we passed out Bibles, it was exciting to drive up the street and see people reading their new Bibles. The were for the first time reading and learning the Truth that is God's word! One specific man we visited, called "Mr. P." whom Tom (a pastor of one of the village churches) met a couple months ago, had a form of leprosy in his left hand and in his left foot, was greatly deformed as a result of serious infection that it has almost completely eaten away at his foot (from a injury twenty yrs. ago). In his seventies, Mr. P. is living in his house like hermit because of his deformities. We were able to share with him about the love of Jesus and His power to heal. God has already brought some healing in his hand and has been softening his heart to Christ. Pray for Mr. P's salvation. He will be coming to church this Sunday.

June 5- Monday

2006-06-06T22:26:00.000+09:00

A Little Background:
To reach people here in the Ubon province of Thailand is a complicated undertaking. The villages and communities are very resistant to Christ and Christianity. Village life surrounds the Buddhist temple of each village. If someone becomes a Christian they are cut of from the temple, community, and possible kicked out of the village. Mercy Foundation was created to establish a Christian Community infrastructure for believers and to help serve and love the community with Christ's love.

To accomplish this there is an orphanage for needy children. They have also built a radio station that broadcasts into the surrounding villages and even the neighboring country the message of Jesus. There is also Mercy School which provides a Christian education for children from about 3yrs to 5th grade.

Today:
We built up some muscles this morning as we moved the Mercy Orphanage to its new building. Its hot here...real hot... and living with bugs and geckos seems like home now. After lunch we went out to the village of Kammerat where one of the daughter churches is located. We helped the church family there distribute about 500 Bibles to the people living there. Most of these people have literally never heard the Gospel and have never touched a Christian. It doesn't get much better than standing outside the gates of a lavish buddist temple in a little wooden shack telling someone about a Savior who is alive and who has come to love them.

-until He Comes- Erin

June 4 - Sunday

2006-06-06T22:14:00.000+09:00

Rise and Shine... Its Sunday Morning already. This morning we had a combined church service at the Mercy Church Nonprassert. Many of the daughter churches (6) of Mekong Evangelical Church came here to worship with us. We helped out by teaching sunday schools and helping in worship. I got to teach the ladies class and it was awesome... althought speaking through a translator is a bit difficult. Dave preached and our little praise team sang "days of Elijah"... no one understood what we were singing but it reminded us of Longview. It was such an awesome experience to worship with the Thai people... they are amazing. When they make a decision to follow Christ its not like in America... They are persecuted in their communities, disowned from their families, they are pretty much seen as not even Thai anymore. To follow Christ is not just a decision and a prayer but a willingness to surrender to His Lordship. This may seem simple but its not. Jesus warned His followers to count the cost. Here that means helping them deal with potential ostracism and isolation and even physical persecution. What Paul wrote about persecution as a Christian definately applies here... the darkness has such a hold on this land and it is such a blessing to be able to help this little camp of Light spread throughout the people here.

Before our fellowship dinner that night we got to go on a boat ride down the Mekong river, which is about 500m from our dorms. and by boat i mean canoes and engines on the back. We also rock climbed on a island inbetween Thailand and Laos... i feel down about a millions times. The boys enjoyed cliff jumping into the river as you can see from the picture... it was lots of fun.

Chan's brother Jay recieved his Thai (dual US and Thai)citizenship which was a major praise as it shows people that you can be a Christian and a Thai citizen. To celebrate he slayed the fattened calf (we saw the nice cow before the boat ride) for our feast. We had a celebration with the leaders of the churches and their families and presented them with the gifts and supplies we brought (computers, teaching supplies, clothes, etc.).
- Until He comes- Erin

June 3- Saturday

2006-06-06T21:53:00.000+09:00

Hello to Longview!! thank you so much for praying for us! well, this was our first morning in Thailand. We stayed at a hotel in Ubon Ratchachanni and we had our first Thai breakfast. This is also when we encountered the language barrier for the first time... knowing what you are eating is a good thing. After breakfast we had orientation with some team members from Mercy Foundation and we were joined by four guys from Iowa (matt, adam, jordan, and glen). We also learned some helpful Thai phrases. Pra jow Rak kon (God loves you). The Thai language is very difficult. After lunch at a quick market we set out on the 2 & 1/2 hour drive to Nonprassert. Speed limits also seem not to be an issue here; you can drive as fast or slow as you want (which can cause some problems). Upon arrival we met at the Mercy Church for a wedding. It was very sweet! The couple have only been believers for a couple of years and have recieved great persecution from the families for following Christ. They were also persecuted for not having a traditional Buddhist wedding. Teir wedding was a huge testimony of Jesus to their attending Buddhist families. We got to practice our Thai a little and we sampled many Thai dishes including chicken foot and pretty much anything that was extremely hot. We had fun with the wedding party until late at night when we finally got some sleep.

-until He comes- Erin

Mekong River

2006-06-06T21:21:00.001+09:00

May 31 - June 2- Travel

2006-06-06T21:12:00.000+09:00

A couple days in the air or in airports was the summary of our travels. The flight from LA to Hong Kong was the longest at about 15 hours. We lost 12 hours, leaving just after midnight from LA and arriving early saturday morning, June 1 was lost. We are not sure where it went but we never saw it. We arrived safely in Bangkok got our luggage and navigated customs and a couple terminals to find are way to our domestic flight to Ubon Ratchachani. After arriving in Ubon we had diner with the team from Mekong Evangelical Church and Mercy Foundation and than actually got to sleep.......horizontally.

Thailand 06

2006-05-31T15:43:00.000+09:00

Here we are on the verge of another adventure. Overflowing the love of Jesus as he has satisfied our eternal thirsts. Overflowing Thailand with the love of Christ. Confronting the lostness of the 98 percent Buddhist nation with the one who came not to show us the light but because He is the Light. We covet your prayers. Nothing of significance will happen apart from the prayers of the saints traversing a 12 hours (of time zones) as they impact the other side of the earth. The team is as follows:
David Anglin, Joey Pomeroy, Shawn Maxey, Jay Williamson, Ashley Roberson,
Megann Patrick, Kelley Long, Libby Fulcher, Erin Price, and Audie Vandyke.
We leave Wed. 5/31 and arrive in Bangkok, Thailand on Fri. 6/2

Reflections and Lessons Learned

2006-03-25T14:57:00.000+09:00

What was the highlight for you?
What did God teach you in Toronto that you want to bring back?

"Exchanging Fear for Faith"

2006-03-18T04:44:00.000+09:00

Between the unbearable frostbite, the endless supply of food for our constantly empty stomachs, the well-beaten paths to the local Tim Horton's coffee place, and the reduction of our sleeping hours, we actually found time to do something we like to call "ministry." I will guide you through this novel idea by giving a summary of the week.

During the first part of the week, we were given the task of talking to people, finding out who they were, and try to find clever ways of introducing Jesus and His love to people around us. It sounds rather simple and relatively easy until you actually take the first step. Factor in many who are absolutely against anything related to Jesus such as various people, cultures, and religions from all over the world, and you have a significantly difficult task at hand, especially for those who have had very little experience with it. Still it took faith.

Later on, we had the help of some tools that would aid us in the process of conversing with people-- Tim Horton's coupons (their coffee is soooo good!). These coupons tend to be an effective tool since everybody and their brother frequents Tim Horton's on a daily basis. Still it took faith.

Towards the end of the week, we were allowed a little creativity when it came to doing random acts of kindness. We were given the responsibility of taking $600, dividing it into two teams, and using that money in whatever way we felt would be the most effective in giving people a glimpse of a portion of Jesus' love for them. While doing this, we were able to spread the word of the Journey Church to anyone who was interested. Still it took faith.

Some of the ministry that occurred throughout the week was the encouragement and the love given and received between the mission team and the few Christian families that were waiting in earnest for us. This type of ministry, although it generally happened in an indirect way, was definitely well-received and crucial to those involved.

Thanks to all who lifted us up in prayer before and during the trip because it was important to us and the advancement of God's kingdom. As we return back to the "valley" commonly known as our daily lives, may we transport with us what we have learned and applied here in Canada to our routines, cultures, and lifestyles back home. Still it takes faith. -James 2:26

<>< Jonathon Clay

Tuesday- Random Acts of Kindness

2006-03-16T07:54:00.000+09:00

Today we split into two groups. We were given money to go and invest in the kingdom. We went with the purpose of showing people that they were loved by God as well as a local church. I met a girl and her boyfriend in Chapters (Canadian Barnes and Nobel). They were talking about Revelation and Bible code stuff. Her boyfriend worked at Chapters and was about to get off of work. We got started talking about Christianity by using Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I used it to tell her about The Journey Church and encourage her to seek the answers she was looking for through biblically solid avenues. She wanted a Bible so I helped her get one. She had a hunger for truth but did not know where to begin to look for it. Unfortunately they were in a hurry to leave so I did not have an opportunity to share the Gospel with them. Be praying for her and her boyfriend that they will be lead to God, the answer to the question they had.
-Josh Loyd

Tuesday

2006-03-15T12:35:00.001+09:00

Hi everyone! Today we rode the GO train into Toronto. It is about a 40 minute ride into the city. We gave out Tim Horton's (Canada's version of Starbucks) coupons as a way to start converstation. Several of us were able to use these coupons as conversation ice breakers into spiritual matters. Many people were reluctant to take the coupons because they felt like there were strings attached, but God really used them to open the doors for opportuntites to share our faith. For instance, Tommy was able to share his testimony with 3 attentive passengers.

Once we arrived in Toronto, we adventured into the underground world of Toronto and ended up in a massive mall! Its nothing to WolfeChase! At the mall we split up into groups to prayer walk and meet people. I (Whitney) sat down to rest and a man came to sit beside me at the table. I said hello to him and immediately he asked where I was from...imagine that! He turned out to be a Jewish man and Dave was able to share and talk with him while Natalie and I sat and listened..prayerfuly of course! This man is very resistant to the gospel while at the same time being very friendly and courteous. Please keep this man in your prayers that God will soften his heart and his eyes will be open to the truth. Throughout the mall, several of us were able to make connections with fellow shoppers.

After our mall extravaganza, we took a route that led us to what we like to call the CN Tower, which is a good thing because that is its name! :) Some veterans of the group decided to stay back while the rookies soared upward 114 stories to the top! It was fun, but a team member got very sick. Please pray for her also. Then we came back to the house.

We had some great chicken spaghetti which was followed by a girl's bible study that was lead by our missionary's wife. Wonderful time in the word...very encouraging! Meanwhile, the boys or "men" as they call themselves went out on a secretive journey to which they have kept G-14 classified!

It was a great day in the Lord and we are thankful for the opportunities to share with many people. Please pray for us tommorow. We will be going out in two groups to do random acts of kindness for the people in Brampton. Natalie and I apologize for our silliness in this entry, but its 11 and we are very tired and giggly! We love you all...thank you for your prayers!
-Natalie and Whitney

Monday- How Beautiful are the Feet...

2006-03-15T11:29:00.000+09:00

The day started off with the "Realtors Bible Study" at the Brown's. This is a weekly bible study for a group of realtors in Toronto who are often unable to attend Sunday morning worship becuase of their job responsibilities. God definately has his hands on this Ministry, as it continues to produce and sharpen other believers. It was this Bible study group that led to the formation of the Journey Church Core.
Next, we went to a mall in Brampton and prayer walked asking God to see people through His eyes. We went there to tell the people of many different cultures and religious backgrounds about the God of All Nations. Through much prayer and persistance, God was able to bring about divine appointments. God used one member of the team to penetrate the heart of a hardened soul. We saw this person move from being resistant to becoming open to the truth of Christ and possiblity of following Jesus. After the experience, God was able to spark an interest in the Journey Church. In another encounter, one of the members became creative in their desire to share the gospel (See pic above for more info :) ). This member was able to give assurance and direction to a doubting and searching soul. This person expressed great interest and seemed sincere with her intent to attend the Journey Church.
"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news (Isaiah 52:7a)."
(again, please see pic)

Sunday

2006-03-14T07:23:00.000+09:00

Hey everyone! This morning we all started at the Adams house for Sunday morning service. David Anglin and Chris Adams led the service. It was a sweet time of fellowship and it was encouraging to see some familar faces. After service we went to lunch and then roamed the streets at Niagra Falls. There was a lot of driving involved for the day. We also talked a little about what is in the plans for the week. We are excited about what the Lord has in store for us and know that we are here to help cultivate the land to help prepare for the harvest. One of us had the opportunity to speak with our waiter at the restaurant tonight. He asked us where we were from and were able to lead the conversation into a spiritual direction. He comes from a Penecostal background and we were able to share what it meant to be a Christian and he seemed open. So pray for Danny. Eveything is going great and we are becoming addicted to Tim Horton's.
-Rachel Shackelford

We Have Arrived!

2006-03-12T08:34:00.000+09:00

Hello everybody!! We made it to Toronto at about 4:30. Right now we are at the Adam's house about to eat some hamburgers. It is so great to be back and see Chris, Kristie, Kelsie, Carlie, Phil, and Liz. There isn't a lot of snow on the ground at all but hopefully it will snow real soon. Pray for us this week and the people we come in contact with. Pray for divine appointments and pray that the eyes of the people in Toronto will be opened. Pray that we will be faithful ambassadors of Christ and represent Him well. Tomorrow morning we will be having church at the Adam's so pray for the service as well. We are so excited about what God has planned this week and we thank you for your prayers.
~Sarah Puddephatt

The Team

2006-03-11T14:52:00.000+09:00

Here is the Team. Please Prayer for us...

David Anglin
Clay Debolt
Jonathan Clay
Tommy Pepin
Adam Tipton
Joshua Loyd
Rachel Shackelford
Sarah Puddephatt
Liz Alexander
Renee Vess
Whitney Earnest
Natalie Hammond
Jessica Renfrow
Ashleigh Woods

OverFlow-Toronto

2006-03-11T14:37:00.000+09:00

Here we are in the 11th hour (quite literally 11:37pm friday night). Looking forward to a nice flight Saturday as we journey to Toronto. Keep posted for highlights, progress, updates, and cerebrally inspiring musing of Toronto 06 as we "OverFlow"out of the abundance of satisfied hearts.