Teacher: "Praise The Lord!"
Children: "Amen, Amen, Jesus, Wow!"
Random Fact of the Day - Did you know that many, many shoeboxes are shipped by Mediterranean Shipping Company right here from Charleston's Wando terminal? I had the opportunity a year and a half ago to go to the terminal to see the process.
Back to Uganda:
A few months ago 17 containers (think about the type of containers that move in and out of Charleston Harbor on ships each day) filled with shoeboxes that were designated for Uganda traveled from the US (perhaps even from the port of Charleston), got held up in Kenya due to political unrest during an election. In the meantime, one container did reach Uganda from The United Kingdom.
During our week of distributions, we had 8 teams each going to six distribution sites. Because our shoebox supply was limited, each church had to limit the number of children they could invite to receive a box. The good news is that the 17 containers held up in Kenya most likely arrived the week after we left Africa, and children who were not able to receive a box, did get to come back and get one.
Shoebox Distribution Time!
On Tuesday we headed to a slum area in Kampala where Pastor Stephen and his family started God's Glory Church in 2008, which is one of 3 churches if God's Glory Ministries around the Kampala area.
They have an amazing ministry - On Sundays, worship consists of around 40 adults and 70 children, and every weekday the church gathers for 1 hour around noon for worship and prayer. They have their priorities in order! The church is well-respected in the community where the church is known for ministering to their neighbors.
The day we were there, many children from the community were buzzing around the church campus, awaiting our arrival. The were so excited when our bus pulled in.
Before a church holds a distribution event, they work with the Operation Christmas Child National Leadership Team (volunteers just like our Area Team here in Charleston). The church leaders attend a training event where they are given the tools to implement a successful distribution. They have a plan for the day, and they have already invited specific children.
The children were ready and waiting. The previous night's rain had knocked down the tent that would provide for extra space, but the leaders were determined to get it back up.
While some of the leaders worked on the tent, the rest of us squeezed into the other tent where they hold their church services each day.
And so the service began....with the children singing praise songs and even the national anthem of Uganda. Our team leader Chris was handed the microphone and asked to lead us in the US National Anthem! Not expecting that at all - Chris thought on his feet and decided we would sing God Bless America instead - a much more musically simple song that we could all handle - those of us who can carry a tune, as well as some who could not. :) As far as anyone knows, that is the first time any American delegation has been asked to sing the National Anthem at a distribution.
Next came a short sermon given by 10 or 11 year old Elijah - Pastor Stephen's son - boy can he preach it!
Next came our team member Aubrey, who shared her own testimony with the children. At every distribution a testimony is give before the distribution - It ties it all together for the kids - Gods loves us and sent His son to die for us - no strings attached. Someone in another country loves God, and because of that, loves the children and wants to give them a gift - no strings attached.
Then came the shoeboxes - After each child had been handed a box, the countdown began - 3...2...1....open your box!
We got to spend quite some time with the children - seeing what they got in their boxes, loving them, laughing with them, even praying with them.
Some of you helped me pack a shoebox that I could take on my trip. We packed it with a boy, age 10 - 14 in mind. I took my box that day, but left in on the bus. If I saw a young man that tugged on my heart, I had planned to go get it off the bus. God had other plans! I didn't see a specific boy that I wanted to give my box to. I was too busy moving through the kids talking, laughing and playing.
When we were leaving the church, we got back on the bus. I noticed that my box was no longer under my seat, so I asked if anyone knew what had happened to it. It was explained that while we were mingling with the kids, a few more children (Boys! Most of whom were between 10 and 14) showed up.
So a few of our team members went to the bus to see how many boxes we had that we had brought with us on the bus. There were 11 boxes, so eleven boys were given those boxes. Before any of that had occurred, I took the picture you see above - of a boy who was outside the property of the church - looking in to see what was going on. At that time, I was saddened, knowing that he might not have the chance to receive a box. Who knows.....maybe he was one of the 11 who were given boxes when they walked in late.
How God has used Operation Christmas Child and The Greatest Journey at God's Glory Church
Here is just one example:
In 2012, one of the other campuses of God's Glory Church hosted a shoebox distribution. The church then taught The Greatest Journey lessons to the children - who later went out and won 3 more children to Christ! AND one of the children who received a shoebox brought her father to church - the father soon became a Christian and not only joined the church, but serves as the church's IT Department - yep, he is the entire department. AND, we got the chance to meet Joseph, that father, while we were there.
And that isn't all!
I have received a couple of e-mails from Pastor Stephen since I have been back. He wants to have Children at Hibben write to the children at his church (Elizabeth and I are working on that). Here is an excerpt from one of his e-mails:
"On behalf of the entire church family, we would like to thank you so much for loving and caring about us. Thank you so much for the gift boxes you distributed to our sunday school children. They were really so happy and enjoyed them. Your visit at our church really impacted the faith of the church members. The community really enjoyed the occasion and we just glorify God for this mercies and love that he poured in your hearts.
We really have to be connected to together both physically and spiritually. We have to pray for each other all the time and its our prayer that God binds us strongly together. Our passion as God`s glory Evangelistic ministries is to the love God extend to the utmost parts of the world. And through our partnership with you, we will achieve that goal by the power of God. Greetings from my family , my daughter Betty and my son Elisha.Please God bless you and hope to hear from you soon. God bless you so much"
"Amen, Amen, Jesus, Wow!"
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