Uganda Team Headed Home

Dear Friends,

What a amazing trip our Uganda team has had! You have had such an important role in this! God has heard your prayers and moved in ways that only He can. May all praise and honor go to HIM!

The team has returned to Kampala today from their safari and will be flying out of Uganda within the next 12 hours. Would you join me in prayer over the next two days as they travel home. Thank you so much. We can't express our thanks enough.

Prayer Request

Katie Hatchet has so beautifully written the following prayer request to our Lord. May we join together in lifting these petitions before His throne.

• O Lord, I pray that You would keep the team from all harm and watch over their lives. Please Lord, watch over their coming and going both now and forever more (Psalm 121:7-8).
• Dear Lord, I pray for the children and Mama Mary who already miss this team. Please allow them to understand that weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).
• Lord, we pray that You would give Mary and the children much to rejoice about in the days to come as they continue to see seek You in every way. May they know that it is YOU who makes provision for them in all circumstances. May You bless them with abundant provisions...physically, spiritually, and emotionally (Psalm 132:15).
• I pray that you would give the team joy, strength, and unity throughout their travel time, and may You use them as your voice for the oppressed in Uganda when they return home.

What a difference it makes when believers lock arms together to accomplish His work. We love you and appreciate you so very much!

In Him,

Betty Jo

A Day to Always Remember!

Dear Friends, Our prayers were answered in a BIG WAY today. I could only weep when I received word of how the day had gone. May I share what two of the team members wrote: Your prayers continue to be answered everyday. Thank you so much. Didi's World was so much fun that Frank (one of the children) said "Today is the best day of my life!" When we returned to the orphanage this evening the children had prepared songs and dance for us. I so wish that you could have heard them praise and worship the Lord. It was unbelievable. We were all in tears. Today has been amazing! Today was probably one of the best and saddest days of my life. Didi's World was wonderful. When we returned to the house the children had songs and testimonies for us. It was the most heartfelt and God driven thing I have ever experienced. They kept saying how much we had helped them and blessed them, but it was the other way around. I have been truly blessed and life changed this week. It is amazing what God can do! Things could have gone so differently today or any other day this week. So many obstacles could have happened. . . attitudes could have been wrong . . . fear could have overtaken. But God was in their midst. Thank you so much for petitioning our MIGHTY GOD. May all praise and glory go to HIM!!!!!!! Prayer request for Sunday-Tuesday The team will be going to a traditional African church service in the morning. I know they will be so blessed. Then they will head off for their two day safari before beginning their journey home. Thank you for lifting up the following prayers for them over the next two days. I pray, O Lord, that the team would experience You in a brand new way as they enjoy Your magnificent creation. I pray that You would command your angels around them to protect them as they travel. I pray that you would bless them with favorable weather conditions and with spectacular viewing of Your awesome creation. O Lord, may they truly fellowship with one another as You strengthen their bond as co-workers in Christ. I pray that each member of the team would remember the depth of your abiding love for them as they finish up their trip We couldn't thank you more for being part of this mission! In Him and for Him, Betty Jo

2:33:00 PM

by BJ

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God Continues to be at Work!

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers concerning our mission team's need for a flight home. We are truly grateful to God as He answered our request in the midst of a very challenging situation. There has been a lot of scrambling and time on the phone, but all has worked out. They will be traveling on June 2nd and 3rd, the original travel dates.

All continues to go so well concerning the ministry. Again, God is hearing your prayers. Word is that the team is doing great and they are being used mightily by God to accomplish His purposes. Amen!!!

• Sixteen more men and women in prison accepted Christ yesterday and have already begun the discipleship program. Three of them are muslim woman. One said that she was thankful that she was in prison because that is where she heard the truth.

• Ten people accepted Christ today during the distribution of food. This happened in one of the poorest sections of town. One of the ladies, Sarah, prayed to receive Christ and then broke her pipe and handed it over to Douglas. She gave him her drugs as well. The ladies on the team gave her a Bible and request that you especially pray for her as she will be going through withdrawal. May God help her overcome all obstacles and grow in her new faith.

• The team visited one of the high schools today. They had a wonderful time. They participated in the discipleship program, played soccer with the students, and had some good one-on-one time. Kathy even had the opportunity to lead one student to Christ.

Tomorrow is the big day at DiDi's World, Uganda's only amusement park. The team will be picking up all 42 children and then head out for the time of their lives. I can only imagine the smiles on the children's faces as they ride a merry-go-round for the first time. Later, in the evening, the team will be attending a Saturday night church service with the university students. Rusty will be speaking and other team members will be sharing testimonies and songs. We so much appreciate your prayers for this time.

Thank you for lifting up the following petitions:

• Lord, I pray that you would be with all the men, women, boys, and girls who have just made decisions to follow You. Please grow them and help them to become strong. I pray that You would especially be with Sarah and give her strength to overcome her addictions. Lord, may you be her Abba and make her so strong.
• Please Lord, continue to give each team member strength and joy for the new day. May they continue to put you at the center of everything.
• I pray that You would give the team perfect unity in all they do, and not a trace of negativity would be found within them. Please be with their families at home and continue to give them all peace about their time apart.
• O Lord, may this be a magical day in the lives of the children and Mama Mary, and may every team member reap the benefit of sharing in their excitement. Thank you for letting them go to DiDi's World. May every child have the time of their lives.
• I pray that all would have thankful hearts, and ultimately, when the day is over, the children would know that this day is a result of YOUR goodness to them.
• Please be with Rusty as he speaks to the university students in the evening. I pray that you would use him as your voice in their midst. Please use all the team members as they reach out and love on the students whether it be through a testimony, song, or hugs.

Again, we are so thankful for you!

Betty Jo

Another Wonderful Day! God is so Good!!!

Dear Friends,

Again, we want to thank you for all the prayers that you have lifted up on behalf of the Uganda mission team. God continues to take care of all their needs and use them as only He can. Rusty and Matthew have arrived safely and finished up their first day. Rusty described the day as "SPECTACULAR." He, Matthew, Mark, and Tracy were able to evangelize in the prisons. They were even able to go into the cells with the men. Today was the "Day of Salvation" for eight of those men!!! Even more, all of them signed up for the discipleship program. "God, You are so good!!!"

The other team members continued their transformation of Mama Mary's house. Kennedy, our Ugandan director, said that the walls were just beautiful. But the best part was the time they spent loving on the children. They dyed shirts, made salvation bracelets, sang, told Bible stories, and praised God. What a day they had!

Whitnee writes:

Tell the prayer partners "Thank you so much for the prayers. They are really working. Things have gone so well and it can only be God. The whole team is doing so well and so glad they are here."

India writes:

Wow, today was really emotional for me. Have been blessed so much. These kids are soooo happy. Makes you love life! (I Thes. 5:16-18) was close to my heart.

Prayer petitions:

Please continue to pray for all that God is doing. We know in our hearts that He is moving below the surface and accomplishing deeper purposes in people's lives. Thank you for being a part of this. Without a doubt, He has heard your prayers!

Prayer request for today:

• I pray that You will continue to grant the mission team passion and the will to do all their work heartily, remembering that they are serving you and not man.

• I pray that You would strengthen their souls, minds, and bodies for the new day.

• I pray that each team member would be characterized by kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. Please let no irritation or negativity be found in their hearts.

• I pray that each team member would completely trust in You with all their hearts and lean not on their own understanding. I pray that in all their ways, they would acknowledge You, and that You would direct their paths.

• I pray that each team member, without exception, would submit willingly to You, O God, resisting the Devil so that he would flee from them.

• Please God, use them to accomplish your purposes for these people, and protect them in all they do.

Again, thank you so much. The team is so grateful to you.

In Him,

Betty Jo

First Day of Ministry

Rusty and Matthew are flying over the Atlantic right now as they have begun their two day journey to Uganda. They will arrive in the wee hours on Wednesday morning. They are both excited and ready to get started. The rest of the team finished up their first day of ministry. Here are a few of their comments:

India Lackey (her words soon after arrival)

I have been here an hour and am already in tears. Not because of what they don't have but because of what we take for granted. I already have a love for them that could only be of God's doing. What an awesome God we have.

Michell Snider (her words at the end of the first day)

We just left the children. That was truly amazing. Mama Mary cried when she looked at the photo album (pictures and notes from many in the US who were sending their love). The kids sat and looked and were amazed. They absolutely loved the bathing suits. They were sooo excited. The girls were dancing in excitement. Been so busy. What a blessing today!

Prayer Concerns:

Please continue to pray for travel mercies and prepared hearts for Rusty and Matthew. Please pray that God would mightily use the team members who are already on the ground as they minister to the children and give the orphanage a facelift over the next two days. Pray for their strength, joy, and unity of spirit. Pray that God would profoundly reflect His great love through each of them so that the children would love God more and more.

You are such an important part of this work as you lift up your prayers to Him!!!

In Him and for Him

Betty Jo

Mission Team Arrives in Uganda

Dear Friends,
Thank you for the prayers that you have lifted up for the mission team. God has heard you!!! Fourteen members have arrived safely in Uganda. The last two members of the team (Rusty and Matthew Spencer) are headed out today. We would be most grateful if you would lift up travel prayers for Rusty and Matthew as well as petitions for the rest of the team who begin their work today.

Petitions for Rusty and Matthew:

• O Lord, please command your angels concerning Rusty and Matthew . . . to guard them and protect them in all their ways.
• I pray that You would remove any anxiety from them as well as from their family members. Lord, may they channel their concerns into prayer instead of worry and may You give them complete peace.
• O God, please spiritually prepare Rusty and Matthew for what is ahead. Make their hearts hungry for You. Put your love in their hearts for the people they are about to encounter. Let them put aside their own agendas so that they might receive what You have for them.
• Lord, please give Rusty and Matthew joy in all they encounter and thankful hearts without a trace of negativity or grumbling.

Petitions for team members who have arrived in Uganda
Tracy, Michell, Mark, India, Whitney, Connie, Zan, Jessie, Melissa,

Steve, Janette, Jane, Kathy, Cindy

• I pray that You would strengthen their souls, minds, and bodies for this day. Please Lord, give them passion to do all their work heartily, remembering that they are serving You and not man.
• I pray that Douglas, Joseph, and Kennedy would be there to joyfully receive them. Lord, may there be an immediate kinship between our team and our Ugandan brothers and sisters.
• I pray that each member of the mission team would put aside their own selfish ambition and desires so that they can work together with unity. Please grant them joy in their fellowship with one another.
• Please Lord, may each member, without exception, experience real joy in their first encounter with Mama Mary and her children. May the children love You more because of the love that the team is going to give them.
• I pray that each team member would completely trust in You and be anxious about nothing. May you watch over them and take care of them.
• O Lord, may each team member willingly submit to You and resist the devil.

We couldn't be more grateful for what you are doing. Truly, your prayers will make all the difference in what this team is able to accomplish for our Lord!

God bless you!

Betty Jo

EWT Mission Team Headed to Uganda

God is sending our first "official" mission team to Uganda from May 23 to June 3. The team consists of 16 members from Statesville, Wilmington, and Charlotte. Each member is filled with anticipation and excitement as they are making their preparations to go. What a blessing they have been as well as others who have been involved in the preparation of this ministry. To each of you, we say a big "thanks".

As a result of all the efforts, suitcases are jammed packed with clothes, books, sheets, towels, medical supplies, games, etc. There is a new pair of shoes for every child. Money has been provided for all the additional needs and supplies that will be purchased when the team arrives. Indeed God is good as He so marvelously works through His people.

Part of the team will be working at Mama Mary's Orphanage each day. They will be painting, cleaning, and sprucing up the home. They will also be loving-on and interacting with the children. Other members of the team will be sharing Christ love in prisons, neighborhoods, and high schools. All the team members will be involved in evangelism and food distribution.

Please pray for them! It is only through God's strength that they can be effective in all that they have set out to do. We will be posting specific prayer request for each day of their work and journey beginning on May 23. We are most grateful to all of you who will join us as prayer partners in this ministry. Prayer will be the key to all that is accomplished!

May JESUS name be lifted higher!!!