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Our Missionaries
UGANDA: November 2005
Part 3
Robert & Rachel Cinader
will be serving in Uganda November 1 - 22. You can follow their story
here...
Pastor Peter and
Family
(This is the Pastor who's church GFC
helps to sponsor)
Note: The dates on many entries are out
of order. They reflect the day of
posting to the Hope4Kids website and
not the day the events occurred.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005: Orphans
(From Hope4Kids Website)
Friday... The day before our orphan
day. There are so many orphans to be
seen by the team members. Of course
everyone wants to meet the orphans they
sponsor and our friends who sponsor like
us to check on their orphans. Many send
money for us to purchase gifts of
clothing, food, etc. So Friday is a mad
dash to the shops to get our last minute
items! It's not like running to
Wal-Mart. One thing that has helped
tremendously this time is the opening of
the "orphan store". We were able to
purchase blankets, sheets, mattresses,
soap, toothpaste and food items to name
a few. It made life a little simpler.
Besides shopping in town and the orphan
store animals are ordered and delivered.
Team members were excited to see cows
delivered to the site. They are kept at
the church until they can be delivered
to the farm. It's kind of interesting to
walk out of church to see a herd of cows
on the property. As you can see posing
with this black beauty was a hit.
Herds of livestock reside
on the church property
until delivery to the Hope4Kids farm.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005: Women's
Ministry
(From Hope4Kids Website)
The Uganda women's ministry is a group
who help one another through prayer,
finances, etc. They are always
brainstorming on how to raise funds so
they can help out their sisters in time
of need. Pastor Jane is the head of this
ministry. She gathers clothing and
supplies for the widows who have no one
to support them. She also is a great
encouragement to women whose husbands
refuse to support them. These women are
being taught skills in order to support
themselves. Besides the sewing center
there is now a computer center. Also in
the women's ministry store you will find
women sitting on mats making necklaces.
It's really interesting to watch. They
actually make their "beads" out of paper
and glue. The necklaces are beautiful
and team members were happy to purchase
them for friends and family. Here is a
photo of Elizabeth being taught to roll
the paper into a "bead".
Making beads for
necklaces.
Also Pastor Jane had mentioned the
desire to have wedding apparel to rent
out. Here she is shown with the two
wedding dresses brought by Debby. What a
blessing that was! You can see the
excitement even in the men at the site
of those beautiful gowns!
The donation of two
wedding dresses
brought much excitement.
Even the men were excited
at the site
of the beautiful wedding gowns.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005: Laura's
Birthday
(From Hope4Kids Website)
Laura's birthday!
Today was Laura's birthday. She spent
the day caring for the sick but ended
with a beautiful birthday cake and a
little celebration at the hotel. Laura
has been such a special part of this
team. In the past she has done nursing
in Honduras. There she and Heather slept
in tents and REALLY roughed it. This is
her first trip with Hope4Kids. She
appreciated being able to take showers
and sleep in a bed but with her loving,
caring heart I think if we had been in
tents with no bathrooms or showers in
sight she would have been just as
effective. We've been blessed to have
her with us.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005: Orphan Day
(From Hope4Kids Website)
Today was orphan day. On the last
Saturday of every month they have a
gathering of ALL the orphans. When the
teams are here they have a special
invitation orphan day. That way gifts
can be given and no one is left out. So
every orphan who is invited will have at
least one nice gift. This is also an
opportunity to visit with yours and your
friend and families' orphans. There were
goats, mattresses, clothing, food,
flip-flops and many wonderful things
given today. Some of the children were
meeting their sponsors for the first
time. I don't know who was more
thrilled-the sponsors or the orphans! It
was a fabulous day!
Orphan Day held at the
church.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005: Football
(From Hope4Kids Website)
Saturday afternoon our True Vine
football team played. They invited CJ to
suit up and play with them. He played
well and they loved having him on their
team.
True Vine football team!
Friday, November 25, 2005: Last Day of
Worship
(From Hope4Kids Website)
Robert says
"goodbye" to a friend.
Today was our final day to worship with
the Ugandans and to say tearful goodbyes
to our many friends. It's very difficult
to let go and leave. We finally tore
ourselves away and were taken to the
Hope4Kids farm for lunch. Before lunch
some of us experienced the farm animals.
We checked out the pigs, tried to milk a
cow and gathered eggs. It was so fun!!
Rachel gathering eggs at
the Hope4Kids farm.
Got milk?
There were also MANY kids hanging around
looking at the Mzungus! After lunch we
gathered them under the tent and passed
out clothing and bracelets. What a joy
to remove a shredded, holey shirt from a
child and replace it with a bright, new
one. If dignity was given to just one
child today it was worth the whole trip.
Friday, November 25, 2005: The Nile
River
(From Hope4Kids Website)
The bus ride to Entebbe.
We left our hotel at 8AM for our five
hour bus ride to Entebbe. We always stop
at the source of the Nile in Jinga. This
time we rented boats and actually went
out onto the Nile River. We were taken
to little island where we disembarked.
On one side was Lake Victoria and the
other we could see the water springing
up where the Nile begins. It was quite
an experience!
Boating on the Nile.
Friday, November 25, 2005: Goodbye
(From Hope4Kids Website)
We left the Nile, stopped for
chicken-on-a-stick, shopped at an open
market in Kampala and then started our
LONG flights home! Even though the trip
home took around 45 hours from the time
we left our hotel until we arrived in
our home we had a great time. By now we
all knew one another and enjoyed our
last hours together. Some of the team
took a train to downtown Amsterdam on
our layover there. It was 6AM so not too
much was open. They did find a nice
coffee shop and enjoyed walking along
the quiet streets.
Robert enjoying a Ugandan
favorite:
"Chicken-on-a-Stick!"
We said goodbye to the California team
members in Amsterdam and the rest of us
headed to Minneapolis where we said
goodbye to Louaine. We passed through
customs and called home while waiting
for our flight to Phoenix.
We arrived in Phoenix and were greeted
by members of Fellowship Church of
Anthem as well as friends and family. It
was a joyful reunion.
Welcome home!
This was another incredible team! We
accomplished much. We dreamed of doing
more. . .
Wednesday, November 23, 2005: We're
Home
(Email from Rachel)
What a trip! Three weeks seemed like
just a few days! We are unpacking and
repacking for our next trip! There is
still so much to get done. If it hadn't
been for the holidays we'd still be
there! I hope you all got a chance to
see the website. Some days were really
challenging! The days I could get on at
the church I was sitting by a door and
everyone wants to come in to greet me!
I had difficulty concentrating so had to
apologize to the webmaster for any
double pictures and disjointed thoughts.
We returned home last night after
traveling for about 45 hours!! It was
so good to have a shower and to lie in
bed. Jordan spent the night and we will
begin Christmas decorating today. So, I
probably won't be writing any stories
today but know that I have a TON to tell
so I hope you don't tire of them.
Thanks for you prayers and support!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Love, Rachel
~ Amazing Grace ~
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