Kat's Uganda Update

Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers! We need it all the more, as we leave in less than two weeks.

I am amazed to report that the gifts from our church alone to the group have totaled over $7,000 so far - almost $1,200 per person! In addition, Brent and I are coming along very well in our fund-raising and others on the team have received significant external support as well. God has provided more than we expected.

Not only are we receiving funds for travel, but as a church we quite possibly wiped out the entire Staples inventory of pencils and pencil sharpeners during their recent sale! They were selling those items for a penny each (limit 3), and LOTS of people from our church stopped by. We are putting together tote bags of school supplies for the orphans we will visit. The kids at North City's Vacation Bible School will decorate and fill the bags next week. Hopefully that doesn't qualify as child labor!

In addition to the school kits, we will take over 350 dental hygiene kits (each with toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, and instructions) that have been generously donated. Africa has a big need for education on dental hygiene, since the diet has included more sugar in recent years without a corresponding growth in dental care. We will teach primary school kids at Nkumba School how to properly take care of their teeth, while at the same time emphasizing why we take care of our bodies - to glorify God by caring for his creation!

As if these things weren't enough, we're hoping to bless the long-term missionaries in Uganda by fulfilling some of their requests for things like books (sheesh - they'll be heavy), blankets, pillows, eyeglasses, nuts, and chocolate chips.

Add in to the mix sports equipment (soccer balls, frisbees, etc.), two laptops (donated), two cameras (also donated), and our own personal luggage, and we'll be fully loaded down! You may wonder how we'll get all this over there...all I can say is very carefully. An extra bag or box (up to 70 lbs) costs $150, but shipping it would cost over $800. That's why when teams go, they take as much as humanly possible!

Ok, so enough about the stuff...beyond prayers that we can successfully pack it all, we would cherish your prayers for the preparation of our hearts. The team is beginning to feel more cohesive, and we are thankful for that. Brent and I still find ourselves getting caught up in the logistical prep more than the spiritual. All the toothpaste in the world won't stop our bodies from death and decay; we must bring the Gospel clearly, in faith and love.

The other day in Walmart, I had to apologize to an older couple behind me for separating my things into two piles, one personal and one Uganda-related. When I told them I was going to Africa with my church, the woman said, "Oh, are you a missionary?" It took me a minute before I said, "Well...yes." I am too small for this task, but I am grateful for God's choosing me to go and making it possible. Pray that we would represent Him well!