YWAM Arua

Check out the YWAM Arua & Yei Promo 2011

2011-08-06T20:56:00.000+03:00

Hi friends,

Here is the YWAM Arua and Yei promo video...many thanks to Ashley, Carl and Jared for all their hard work!

Let us know what you think!

Many blessings,

Vikki

Go Camp Outreach To Kajo Keji, Sudan

2011-02-16T17:20:00.006+03:00

Hello!! This is Ashley again...so excited to share all that’s happened with the Go Camp! What an exciting, stretching, humbling, encouraging and fun experience. Thank you for all of your prayers while we were away on outreach in Kajo Keji! The Lord met with us, used us, and blessed us! I believe the most significant way God used our team was by challenging the local church. None of us were really aware of how much we were being watched in the community. As we shared, prayed and served, the church was watching and people were talking. It wasn’t until our last day of ministry that a pastor of one of the local churches shared with our team about how God had been speaking to him personally as a pastor and challenging him and his church to do more. We pray for Pastor Justin and the other churches in Kajo Keji. May they take advantage of the opportunities to love and serve in their community, that they may be a light that brings people into relationship with Jesus.

It was amazing to see how God blossomed each of the students on outreach! In one way or another, every one stepped out in a new way, doing something they thought they never could or never would do. God really did prove that HE IS OUR STRENGTH in our weakness and that all things truly are possible through Him! God wants willing people and I really believe that it was because of the willingness amongst the team that God used and blessed us in our ministry as He did. Everyday when there was an opportunity to preach, teach, sing...several hands would raise and the students would say “pick me! I’ll do it!”...willing hearts.

HUT TO HUT

We walked through the villages of huts making up Kajo

Keji sitting with the people, learning their names, hearing their stories, encouraging them with the truth of the gospel and God’s Word and supporting them with prayer. Each time we would return to visit the families, we were met with more and more joy, love, and hope because of how Jesus had touched their hearts.

PRISON MINISTRY

In the local prison, one of the students named Daniel preached on living in the light and living in the darkness. He spoke with so much love and passion, he cried as he prayed for the prisoners. After he was done, a crowd of men, feet shackled and broken came forward. One of the men fell to his knees as he silently prayed to his Jesus. Only the Lord knows our hearts but we can believe and pray for those men..their feet may be shackled within the walls of a prison but they are prisoners no more. They are free in Jesus. Amen.

SOMETHING LASTING...

While our team was in Kajo Keji, we met an elderly man named Joseph. We learned that God had recently healed him from an injury he suffered from many years earlier. The injury left him crippled and unable to even walk but, because of the Lord’s healing, Joseph could now walk again. It was still difficult and a struggle for him but he could walk. The family he was staying with decided he couldn’t stay with them anymore and that he needed to take care of himself. He was left with nowhere to live. Our team was excited to help build Joseph a home :) . We were able to make just under 2000 bricks for him and even though we needed to leave, the local church was challenged by our act of love and service to their neighbor and friend and promised to finish constructing Joseph’s new home.

We thank God for using us. All of the glory goes to God and we applaud Him for the work He has done. Many people’s lives were touched and changed by His love and we were honored to be a part of that.

God's hand in the Congo

2011-02-09T13:03:00.004+03:00

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

~John 14:12

While the DTS team was in the Congo, they saw God's hand moving in many miraculous ways.

Here are some of the highlights:

One young girl was lying in the hospital after collapsing and becoming unconscious. The team prayed for her and she immediately regained her senses. They were then able to talk with her and discovered that she had been ridiculed at school by her teachers as well as by other students. As result she had allowed a root of bitterness to form in her heart, which was affecting her so much that she was becoming physically ill. The team talked with the girl about forgiveness and about how to not allow negative things from others impact her life. This girl received physical and emotional healing that day!

A woman who had been suffering from severe headaches since 1985 also received prayer from the team. After praying for some time, the team discovered that the woman believed that she had been cursed by the witchcraft of a neighbor. The team explained that even if this other woman had tried to hurt her, she must still walk in forgiveness and love. After explaining the importance of forgiving others in receiving forgiveness from God himself, the woman's headaches stopped at once. She was immediately healed and began praising God! The woman even decided to seek out the neighbor who she believed had cursed her to reconcile the relationship and share God's goodness.

There were many other people in a Catholic mission hospital in one town who were very ill. As the team moved around from one person to the next, God began working. Patient after patient took up their mats and left the hospital at once. Bingi relates that she was even nervous that the workers there would be upset from loosing so many patients. God's faithfulness still prevailed, and instead of becoming angry, the staff wanted to know more about the power of God and his healing touch!

Although there were many great experiences on this trip, there were also many challenges and the people of Congo still need to see God move in their lives. Stay tuned for the next post about these things!

Remain in me...

2011-01-27T16:27:00.010+03:00

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."

-John 15:7, NIV

It was not an easy trip for the members of DR Congo outreach team, but then again nothing worth giving up safety and comfort for ever really is. After a few months of training at the YWAM Arua base, Dorothy Bingi and her team of DTS students and staff embarked on a journey across the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach God's people there.

The trip itself was quite perilous. The roads in Congo are tumultuous; sometimes it took the team several hours to travel only a few kilometers. They often found themselves in parasite infested waters trying to make a way for the vehicle to pass. At times, they were forced to sleep in the Congolese jungle with no tent to protect them from the rains, wild animals, venomous snakes, and armed government and militiamen. It would have been easy to say that it was too difficult and too dangerous. Most people wouldn't have tried at all, and those who did would have probably turned back. However, Bingi and her team knew that God had called them to reach his Congolese bride and that He would give them the strength they needed to fulfill his will.

"Generally, I would say because we persisted, even when things became harder and harder, we saw the hand of the Lord. If we had given up we would not have seen Him do anything." ~Dorothy Bingi
The team chose to remain in the presence of God and to trust in Him to renew their strength. No matter how difficult the night was or how challenging the journey had been, they were always filled with new joy and strength upon reaching each village that God had sent them to. God was always faithful to his word, and wherever the gospel was preached signs and wonders followed those who believed. The team saw God's hand perform many miracles throughout their time in the Congo.

There was a man who had been paralyzed for some time. He was unable to walk and at times he could barely speak. His body and his mind were both struggling to function as their Maker intended. The DTS team was told about this man, and they decided they needed to pray for him. After spending about twenty minute in prayer the man began to speak to the team. He confessed to them that he had wanted to become a skilled hunter, so he visited a local witchdoctor in hopes of receiving a potion or a ritual that would help him to develop this skill. Rather than being able to find food with ease after his visit, he was unable to hunt at all. Eventually he began to hear strange voices in addition to losing his ability to walk. The team new that God is a God of deliverance and that he brings freedom to the captives. So with faith in the word, the team began to pray and declare God’s truth over this man’s life. Within a matter of minutes he was completely healed. The next day the man followed the team for 6 kilometers, singing and dancing all the way; he was filled with joy for what God had done for him.

God moved in many miraculous ways and taught the members of the team many valuable lessons on this outreach.

Check back to read more about God’s miraculous works and the needs of the people in Congo in the coming posts!

King's Kids January 2011

2011-01-26T18:21:00.006+03:00

(Written by J.S.)

King's Kids

~An Aroma to God~

The 25 children smiled with glee as they sat in a circle and learned for the first time their very own "sign" name. It was the first day of the week-long King's Kids programme, and it was combined deaf and hearing children. The facilitators included sign language in every activity.

Some hearing children who had never even known a deaf child were now interacting and smiling with them. It seemed that each hearing child was on the edge of his/her chair readily trying to grasp this new language. During the worship times, the children were trying so hard to do the signs that some of them even forgot to sing. The mixture of deaf and hearing children brought some new dynamics in the King's Kids programme and challenged them all to learn to work together.

One of the leaders, Netty, was very impacted by this and said, “I have a disability myself, so it really encouraged me to see deaf children working with normal (hearing) children. I think it's a new thing in Africa and so you want it to change them. You want their perspectives to change; you want every one to feel valued and important like God sees them...”

On a typical day during the King's Kids programme, the children divided into groups and put together a daily verse from the Bible. Next they spent time in worship and then did a craft. After the craft, someone shared a short devotional from the Bible.

Finally there were “parachute games” with a very large and colorful parachute that illicited many squeals of laughter.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good” was the theme for the King's Kids. On the second day there was a craft to make a mask, which represented our need to repent before God.

After the craft was finished the children then somberly stepped outside and had a quiet time with God. Some of the children went under trees, others sat on the log bridge, but all were very quiet and fully focused on God. Netty commented on this day by saying, it “was good... It challenged me, and some of the things the children said about how it helped them... it encouraged me. Adults have issues and have to deal with them daily...so do children. I think it's acknowledging your weaknesses and dealing with them, so God can deal with you further... it makes you a better person.” At the end of this day they took off their masks before God as if saying, “We are ready to repent to you God.”

The life of one of the deaf leaders in the King's Kids programme really touched the heart of Netty. “Wilfred," Netty said, "encouraged me so much. He comes from a good home. He's a Christian, and his brother looks after him because his Father died. Beautifully enough, he has that passion to want to learn and want to do better, and help others who are deaf to do the same. He's trying to learn to lip read and he's just lovely. He's full of integrity and wants to do things for others.”

On one of the days the kids and leaders walked for an hour and a half to a swimming pool, stopping along the way to see different aspects of God's creation. Then they swam and had a picnic before making the return journey.

At the end of the week we had seen growth in the children's lives and even their signing had improved. They tried hard to communicate with the deaf and were proud of what they had learned. The parents were so appreciative and excited to see what this programme had done for their children. It was the deaf and the hearing working together to taste and see that the LORD is good.

GO Camp goes to Southern Sudan

2011-01-13T16:40:00.010+03:00

Hi! My name is Ashley and I have been helping staff the youth GO CAMP 2011 here at YWAM ARUA...3 days teaching and discipleship training followed by a 2 week outreach. After being stretched and challenged over the past 3 days, the students are all very excited to leave for Kajo Keji, Sudan tomorrow to reach out to the people there over the next couple of weeks :)

PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF KAJO KEJI!

It is a significant time to be in Sudan! The people of south Sudan are voting in a referendum to determine whether Sudan remains one nation or separates between the Arab-Islamic north and the predominantly Christian south.

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS HISTORY MAKING SEASON FOR SUDAN.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12141082

The students are preparing a drama for the outreach to Southern Sudan, and are excited to share the love the Jesus. We are looking forward to seeing how God leads us as we minister there. Please pray for us and for the people of Kajo Keji!

We built an 'Assault Course' on the base to use as a team building exercise...the students had to work together to get over, under and through different obstacles. It was fun to watch all 10 students struggling through the water and mud, learning to be a team and working through difficult obstacles together. We hope this will begin to unite them together as they prepare for their outreach.

CLICK TO WATCH A VIDEO CLIP OF THE ASSAULT COURSE

Please stand with us in prayer for a few things:

1. for safety and unity on the team as they minister in Southern Sudan

2. for the people of Southern Sudan as they wait for the results of the Referendum vote...the outcome will affect all of their lives

3. for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done in the nation of Sudan

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT!!

DTS Outreach to Lobone Part 3

2010-12-08T10:57:00.009+03:00

DEAF MINISTRY

We were lucky this year to have 4 deaf students on the DTS, 3 of these students joined the team to Sudan.

On a daily basis these students taught local deaf and their families how to communicate with sign language using pictures, demonstration and fun games. It was lovely to see all the people come, anxious to learn, with a new hope of communicating to their loved ones and friends. It was also so encouraging for the hearing students to see the patience and willingness of our friends as they taught.

PASTORS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS SEMINAR

We had 2 sessions with local pastors and government officials. Using what we learned during lecture phase on Leadership and Team Dynamics, we were able to instill some useful ideas and tools to develop the community of Lobone. After the sessions we felt that God really used us to teach these men and women, and we got a sense that what they learned will not be forgotten.

DTS outreach Part 2...more stories from Lobone, Southern Sudan

2010-12-07T13:40:00.011+03:00

LUNCH.....

We were all a little bit worried about the potential of being served bush rat for a meal, but as it turns out, it tastes pretty good and we all digested it quite well.

Bush rat restaurant

We went to eat with the local pastors and government officials that we had been teaching about Leadership and Team Dynamics that morning. It was a nice way of getting to know them better, to hear their hearts and to find out what they had learned from us.

FUN TIMES WITH LOCALS.....

We played volleybal atleast 3 times per week with the local youth.

Our kids played and coloured pictures with their kids.

SCHOOL MINISTRY

School ministry team walked 30 minutes, 3 times per week to spend time teaching and having fun with the children. During the morning we taught Bible stories and verses using different methods like drama. After the teaching time, we played games outside with the children. They loved having us there and enjoyed getting their pictures taken.

Stay tuned for more stories and pics in Part 3!

2010 DTS Outreach Stories and Testimonies Part 1

2010-12-06T10:49:00.016+03:00

SUDAN

I will begin by saying God is so good.

It never ceases to amaze me how God will use us if we allow Him, if we stand back and let Him work through us, if we give up control and let Him lead the way. I have many stories that I could share about our Discipleship Training School outreach in Lobone, Southern Sudan, I will highlight a few over the next couple of weeks to give you just a taste.

BOSCO

20 Years old, former LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) captive, addicted to alcohol, rejected by family and friends. This boy was found by members of our team sitting alone, looking tired, malnourished and sick. This boy's feet were the home of many worms, called Jiggers. His home was infested, and his feet so badly eaten that he could no longer feel any pain.

I met Bosco one morning and knew right away that we did not have the amount of medicine to help him. The hospital authorities were reluctant to admit him becuase his case was so bad, but we advocated for him, and they finally admitted him to hospital for treatment. Over the next 2 weeks, his feet, although scarred, were free of Jiggers, and his face shone like that of someone who was finally loved...he had hope that life could be different.

We spoke to Bosco about Jesus, and told him that he was loved not only by us but by a great big Father God. He never gave his life to Christ while we were there, but I know that Bosco's
life was changed. I know that God will continue to work in the life of this boy, He will continue to transform him, He will continue with the work that we could not. Bosco knows that now he is not alone.

Theft on our base

2010-07-05T17:42:00.001+03:00

This article has just been published on YWAM's international website about the recent theft on our YWAM base:

A YWAM base crippled by theft

My heart's desire is to write a follow-up article reporting that the thief came forward on his own accord to confess, repent and return the money...now THAT would be a story! God is a great big God and quite capable of making that dream come true.

Thank you for your continued prayers!
Vikki Wright
YWAM Arua leadership team

Hospital Ministry

2010-06-30T15:21:00.003+03:00

As an RN back home in Canada I was naturally drawn to the hospital ministry that has just begun here at YWAM Arua. This coming Friday will be the third week, and as much as there are some hurdles to cross, I believe that God wants us to be there and that He will do some amazing things through the team for both the patients and the staff.

Last Friday when we arrived, the staff were busy and did not have a lot of time to spend with us. Now, for a type A North American girl, you would likely not be surprised if I told you that this annoyed me a little bit. Surprisingly enough, even to me, I was not annoyed. I sensed God's presence and His words to my heart saying "Trust me Cheryl, you are all meant to be here because I sent you here".

We were able to spend time with some of the staff, we prayed with them and spoke truth to them from the word. This is amazing to me, because at home you would not be allowed to preach the gospel like that, and even if you were, people would not be open to hearing it. They were open and seemed touched by our willingness to share and pray with them.

After our time with the staff we walked through the ward, laying hands on and praying for patients and family members, it was awesome, the Holy Spirit was doing something BIG. We were all feeling it. I am excited to see what God will do in that ward. I should tell you that we will primarily be working on the TB ward as this is where the Arua leadership team felt this ministry needed to begin. This can be a daunting place as patients are very sick and infectious, but it is where God wants us and so with grateful hearts and masks we will enter those rooms knowing that the Holy Spirit is there doing His work through us.

Another aspect of this ministry is handing out food for patients. We have done some research and know what TB patients require the most and will do our best to provide these foods. I believe God in this area also, He knows, He will provide, He is in control.

I will be sure to keep you updated on all of the exciting things that God will do.

Blessings,
Cheryl Cook

Introducing......

2010-06-21T15:45:00.006+03:00

Hi there! I would like to introduce myself to you, my name is Cheryl Cook and I have come to Arua from Brockville, Ontario, Canada for the CDTS. The young girl in the picture (yes, we are both young, but one is much younger than the other!!)is my daughter, Mackenzie. Mackenzie has joined me here and will do her studies through homeschooling curriculum which I will be needing much prayer for....just putting that out there for anyone who may feel led. I won't bore you with my life story, but I will tell you that since I was a young child, I have had a heart for Africa. My heart for Africa, and my love of Christ is what led me here to Arua to take the CDTS. I have been asked to update the Arua blog once weekly as part of my community responsibility here, and I have cheerfully accepted the challenge. I hope that these posts will give you a glimpse into our world, and perhaps inspire some of you to take this journey of discovery with God as I have.

I feel that it is an important thing to mention, especially to those who are perhaps deciding whether or not to embark on a journey such as this, that all of the staff are so welcoming and supportive. Not once since I arrived here, have I felt alone or without someone to talk to. As you can imagine, life in Arua is a little bit different from my life in Canada, and I feel that I can be open about the challenges that I have faced and will certainly continue to face as the 6 months go on. For this support and encouragement, I am truly thankful.

Now about the school. In total there are 15 of us here as CDTS students, we are all different, and all have something God given to offer. Of the 15, there are 4 deaf students, it is a real blessing for all of us hearing to learn some sign language and they have all been very gracious.

Last week was our first week going out and serving in our chosen ministry. I have naturally gravitated to the hospital ministry as I am an RN at home but I hope also to be involved with the prison ministry if time allows. I will post more detailed info about each ministry on another post.

For now I will end. Please know that again, I will do my very best to convey important information as well as allowing you all to experience a little bit of what we are experiencing here in Arua.

Blessings,

Cheryl Cook

YWAM’s 50th Anniversary: Eastern Africa 27 – 29 May 2010

2010-05-31T09:58:00.012+03:00

Painted faces and oiled skin glowed in the late afternoon sunlight as feet stomped and drums beat to welcome Loren and Darlene Cunningham to Jinja, Uganda, for YWAM's 50^thAnniversary celebrations. Africans consider it a great privilege to welcome honoured guests, and our brothers and sisters from all over Eastern Africa danced, sang and clapped with all of their hearts in welcome.

<---- The Busoga from Uganda swirled their hips in dizzying circles;

the Kenyans stomped their feet and clapped their hands; ---->

<---- and the Masai from Tanzania jumped straight up and down.

<------- Several young girls balanced stacks of clay pots on their heads, and led the Cunningham procession into the conference hall.

On stage, our team from YWAM Arua base opened the celebrations by dancing and singing about the unity in diversity that characterizes YWAM. Coming from the nations of Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, America, England and Australia, the Arua team built a bridge together to demonstrate their vision to be a bridge of healing to the nations. Then they crossed the bridge with flags of Sudan, Congo and Central African Republic, and called others to join them in reaching these nations for Jesus. A Masai brother crossed the bridge to the whoops and cheers of the audience. ------->

Over the next 2 days, Loren and Darlene shared many encouraging testimonies of God’s faithfulness right from the days of their childhood to the present moment. They encouraged us to be God-loyal: that no matter what happens around us, we should not give in to self-pity but should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and be loyal to Him, no matter what the cost. They challenged us to say “Yes!” to Jesus with radical obedience…even when we don’t know the extent of that commitment. And never to give up, no matter how hard things get…we should not negotiate in our commitment to hear and obey the King of kings.

<----- Darlene encouraged us to hang out with people who celebrate us, and commit to walk in unity. She also challenged us to be humble servant leaders…there is no other way to lead like Jesus than to submit ourselves to the will of the Father and seek His kingdom, not our own.

Loren updated us on the state of world missions and declared, “Jesus is winning!” We saw the growth of YWAM and the spread of Christianity. We also heard the heart cry of the Father for Africans to “Arise and Shine, for our time has come!” God has a place and a purpose for Africans in the Great Commission, and it is time to take up that calling and GO! ------->

<---- With that exhortation, we lined up to light our candles from the torches held by Loren (on the left) and Methode Kamanzi (Eastern Africa Regional Director, on the right in the white shirt).

With our candles held high, we agreed before the Lord to be part of taking the flame forward into the nations, to reach the unreached and disciple the nations. ----->

Finally, after all the Cunninghams had imparted into us, we were able to bless and honour them. We dressed them in the traditional style of the Rwandese,

<------

and then the elders of YWAM East Africa presented them with traditional African gifts…a strong he-goat and a richly colored rooster. ----->

<----- Then the elders laid hands on this faithful couple, and prayed blessings over them.

We closed the event by committing ourselves to the Christian Magna Carta, and the Jubilee Covenant. Then we shared the Lord’s table together, and asked God to help us hear His voice, and follow Him with radical obedience wherever He leads.

It was a very special time, and we give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for us.

Our dining hall and kitchen need help!

2010-04-23T15:31:00.006+03:00

The sad state of affairs:

Our dining hall and kitchen are crumbling once again.

These two temporal buildings have been serving our YWAM base since we moved on to the land 4 years ago. According to our master plan, we will have a nice, permanent kitchen and dining hall on the other side of the property in a few years time.

The dining hall -->

But in the meantime, we need somewhere to cook and eat.

Unfortunately, these temporal buildings made of papyrus mats covered with tarpaulins, and a few bricks here and there just don't hold up very long under the hot African sun.

<-- Pam Wright in dining hall with dog and chickens

So we are appealing to ours friends and supporters and asking if you would be interested in helping us rebuild these buildings with longer lasting materials. We would like to roof them with iron sheets and build up the walls a bit higher with bricks to provide more protection from the elements.

The cost of renovating these buildings is approximately $2,000 USD.

The kitchen -->

If you would like to donate towards this need, we would be very grateful!

Just click on this link: Donate towards rebuilding which will take you to a donate page on YWAM Colorado Springs' website. They are our homefront YWAM base in the USA and they handle our finances. On the donate page, at the button where it says "This donation is designated for:" select "Missionary Support" from the drop down menu. After a few seconds, a new box will pop up that says "Missionary name"...type in "YWAM Arua". We will be notified of the contribution and the money will be transferred to our account.

You will receive an acknowledgment of your donation with a tax deductible receipt.

Thank you all so much for your support. We appreciate you!

Be blessed!

<-- Milka, our cook, in the kitchen

GO Camp 2010

2010-02-08T10:58:00.006+03:00

This year's 3rd annual GO Camp (Global Opportunities) got off to a great start with 9 students attending the 3-week camp.

The first week consisted of Discipleship training, team building and missions teaching.

The students had a lot of fun on the assault course where they had to work as a team to get through the various obstacles.

1st obstacle...crawling through culverts

2nd obstacle...crawling through tires

3rd...climbing

Finally...sliding down a slick, soapy tarp.

The students enjoyed worshipping together and bonding in those first few days before they headed off on their 2-week outreach to Southern Sudan.

YWAM Arua has an on-going ministry in Issore, Southern Sudan, working with the Lugot...the People of the Mountain.

Our GO Campers journeyed to Lobone, a town that is a 5 hour walk from Issore, where they stayed during their outreach.

The students took part in a variety of activities, including cleaning around bore holes, leading open air meetings, preaching in churches and even sorting out expired medicines from an abandoned hospital.

Eric all geared up for the hike to Issore --->

<--- Meeting with the youth

One of the GO Camp students, Innocent, who's father is Muslim and mother is Christian said this:

"I saw many changes in my life, especially in singing praise and worship and living in a spiritual community. In Lobone, it was my first time to stand in a church for worship, and my first time to preach. I thought I would be shaken, but I prayed and stood firm. May God remember my prayers, and let the words I spoke keep flowing in the minds and hearts of those people."

An abandoned hospital --->

<--- Inside the hospital

The GO Campers were asked to sort through
boxes of abandoned medicines in the hospital --->

<--- Sadly, nearly all of the medicines were long since expired.

Back in Arua, the team shared the stories of their time in Sudan, and rejoiced at God's faithfulness to keep them healthy and bring them back safely.

Many of the students told of their fears about sharing the Word or doing teachings, and how God gave them strength to stand firm and bring the message.

One student, Susan, said, "I don't think I'll ever fear again."

GO Camp Graduation

Congratulations, GO Campers! You did a great job, and we are proud of you!!

DTS outreach to the People of the Mountains

2010-01-11T10:32:00.006+03:00

The Discipleship Training School (DTS) outreach to Issore, in the mountains of Upper Talanga (southern Sudan), brought new insight, many challenges, and a renewed heart for the Lugot…the people of the mountains.

From September to November 2009, the DTS team ministered in Issore, preaching the Word of God and demonstrating His love practically by working on a road that has been abandoned for more than forty-five years.

Beginning to clear the road -->

Right from the beginning, the local people gathered to assist with the heavy work of clearing the road. The first step was to slash the grass and bushes from Lumarti to the next village up the road called Singli. As they worked, one of the men from Singli village, called Opio, commented, “The light and life has come to Issore.”

After slashing the tall grass up to Singli village, the team went back to begin digging up the roots and clearing away the tree stumps. Now the people of Singli village are using the newly cleared road, instead of passing through the bush trails like they’ve been doing all these years.

The cleared road -->

On their first visit further up the uncleared road to Kamayokong village, the team talked to the villagers about God’s love, and the fact that He sent Jesus to reconcile us back to Himself. Before they even offered an altar call, a man named Okot Richard stood up and said, “I want to get saved now.” So the team led him through the prayer of salvation.

<-- Some children of Issore

On their second visit to Kamayokong, the team began to disciple Okot, and assured him of his salvation. They encouraged him with ways he could remain faithful in his walk with the Lord. Interestingly, Okot was the only man the team came across that had only one wife. All the others had at least 2 or 3. In addition, Okot lost one leg from the knee down when he stepped on a landmine, and now walks with an artificial leg and a cane.

While staying in Lumarti, the team held regular evening devotions attended by the villagers from Lumarti and neighboring Singli. Through these devotions, two women from Singli, called Margret and Christine, gave their lives to Christ. From Lumarti, a woman called Florence and four other youth also accepted Jesus.

Praying for a woman -->

At the moment, there is no church in Issore, and only a Catholic center in Lumarti that is not operating very effectively. In order for Okot, with his artificial leg, and the other new converts to get to church, they have to walk 3 hours to the nearest church, which is the African Inland Church (AIC) in Lobone.

While working on the road and visiting Issore, the DTS team also took time to minister in the neighboring bomas of Palwar and Lobone. Each boma in the payam has a head chief, and the head chief of all of Lobone Payam resides in Lobone village.

<-- Witchcraft is widely practiced in Issore. This is a shrine commonly seen around the area.

This head chief of the whole payam, called Justin Atto Opio, was sick and believed he had been bewitched. So he asked the pastor of the AIC church, Michael, to bring him someone to pray for him. Michael approached the DTS team and asked if they would come and pray for the chief. The team shared and prayed with the chief, and he greatly improved. The following day, the chief went to church for the first time in his life to testify about how he felt after that prayer, and he gave his life to Jesus. Being the head chief of all the Payam, Mr. Opio is a very influential man. He granted favour to the DTS team to work in any of the other bomas in Lobone Payam that they wished, and said he was happy for YWAM to be working in Issore because it was the only boma that no one else had been willing to work in. The chief said, “I promise to be with the church during whatever occasions they hold…I will attend them. I will also seek advice from the church leaders, and will help them when they need me.”

<-- Young boys of Issore

While in Lobone, the DTS team visited the hospital after they were told that children were suffering, and some even died, because there was no medicine. During that visit they met a twelve-year-old boy who was on an IV drip and whose sister had just died. They prayed for him, and many other children. The next day the team went for the burial of the boy’s sister, and to their surprise they found the boy there at the funeral. The boy testified that as soon as the team prayed for him, he was healed and then was released from the hospital. Then he gave his life to the Lord, as did his older brother who had been attending him in the hospital. Nineteen other mourners heard the story and gave their lives to Christ as well.

All of these positive responses to the Gospel message were very encouraging to the DTS team, and assured them that their efforts were not in vain.

Elders of Issore -->

“We survived just by God’s grace,” said Mario, the team leader. “There was no hospital, no clinic. One student got sick with malaria, so we just started treating him with quinine without even testing him, and thanks be to God, he got better. Another time, baby Nicole got seriously sick with a high fever, but we had no treatment for a baby, so we just gave her paracetamol and prayed for her. Thankfully, she also got better. Another student dislocated his ankle playing football, but again, we just prayed and he got better. It was all simply God’s grace.”

Spiritually the team also battled. “People came to attend devotions,” said Mario, “and they would act as if they were gaining something. But then they would go back to the community and resume drinking again.” This discouraged the team, but they would remind themselves that they were breaking new ground, and it would take time for the Word of God to take root and go deep.

<-- A man with his wife and child in their home

There are many questions about the future. The big question asked by both the villagers and the DTS team was, “What next?” The villagers want YWAM to train up some of their people so they can go back and act as spiritual leaders in the villages. Some of the YWAMers have the heart to keep working in Issore, and are committed to a long-term vision there.

YWAM Arua is still praying about the next step, and considering sending the January GO Camp outreach to Lobone for the two weeks of that outreach. There are still plans for continuing the work on the road, but there is a big need to repair a bridge to connect Singli with vehicles. At the moment, the road is only passable on foot.

In spite of all the challenges, the team was very positive about their outreach experience. Mario concluded, “The outreach went to the right place because the people of Issore were left alone and no one was thinking about them, but now the DTS was able to reach them and share the Word of God with them. The Light has come to Issore through the outreach.”

GO CAMP!

2009-11-19T14:57:00.007+03:00

GO CAMP!!!

Do you have a heart for missions? Do you want to experience reaching out across cultures? Do you want to be equipped in your Christian life on how to know God and make Him known? Are you 18 years of age or older? Then YWAM's GO Camp is for you!

There will be one week of training in Arua, with radical cutting edge speakers. Then, followed by two weeks outreach to either Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan or DR Congo!

How much does it cost?
Training and Outreach: 100 000 UGSh

Dates:
Arrival in Arua: 10th January 2010
Leave for Outreach: 17th January 2010
Leave Arua: 29th January 2010

Youth With A Mission

We are an interdenominational Christian mission which has been in Uganda since 1986. YWAM is committed to mobilizing youth to proclaim the gospel through the world.

Would you like to know more?

Harriet Adania: 0773 440574
Paul Onomoro: 0773 246548
Sam Abuku: 0772 571664

E-mail:
ywamarua@yahoo.com

Post to YWAM:
P.O. Box 442
Arua, Uganda

Regina and The SBS

2009-10-08T14:36:00.003+03:00

This is Regina, one of our staff, who has just recently moved to the Hopeland base in Jinja to attend the 9 month SBS (School of Biblical Studies). It's been her dream for a long time to attend this school so we're very excited for her! Please pray for her time during this school that she would squeeze everything out of it that she can!

To learn more about the SBS held at Hope Land, click on the link below:

http://www.ywamhopeland.com/pages/sbs

Ang Tulay In Arua

2009-10-08T11:15:00.010+03:00

Ang Tulay simply means, “The Bridge” in one of the Filipino languages. It is a week long “journey” over the bridge using steps that help both children and adults work through their grief and trauma. See the link below for more information about Ang Tulay and also Precious Jewels Ministry.

http://www.preciousjewels.org/angtulay.html

What I love about it is the creative nature of the program. It includes stories, music, art, drama, small groups, and activities. I (Nicole) have seen with my own eyes the difference just this one week can make in a child’s life, helping them to share their painful experiences, for some, maybe the first time in their lives.

The implementation has taken place at the Hopeland base in Jinja since June, where a team of staff from Hopeland, Torch and Arua bases have been working alongside the Precious Jewels team to make Ang Tulay relevant to the Ugandan culture.

We held Ang Tulay in Arua in September with all the staff and it was another learning experience for all. I personally love the YWAM Uganda family getting closer and seeing my Arua family part of this journey too! As our mission states, we are called to be "a bridge of healing to the nations." Ang Tulay=The Bridge!

This month we have been evaluating the work so far and looking ahead to the future of Ang Tulay not only in Uganda, but in East Africa and maybe even beyond!

Dorothy explaining the step of "Forgiveness"

Sharon talking about "Love"

Vikki and Edith try out the "Trust"walk

YWAM Arua's own bridge!

Leadership Training begins in Nigeria

2009-10-03T10:17:00.006+03:00

(Note...please excuse the layout of this post...I tried and tried to line up the text with the photos but it doesn't want to work. Sorry!)

Vikki Wright and Dorothy Bingi left YWAM Arua on Sept 29th to attend a Leadership Training Course (LTC) at the YWAM base in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

The opening session was a time of celebrating our diversity by entering 'the gates' according to the year we did our Discipleship Training School (DTS), starting with the most recent DTS graduates in 2009.

Loren and Darlene Cunningham were the last to come through, the pioneers of YWAM's DTSs.

The DTS is the formational school for YWAM during which students learn the foundational values of YWAM and are encouraged to go deep in their relationship with God.

Loren has been sharing many stories of how God lead him to pioneer Youth With A Mission, and the new things God is doing in the mission. It's been an encouraging time to hear from our founder first-hand how God has been leading this mission.

Then we gathered around a map of Africa and took time praying for the countries where we come from, and the countries we have been called to.

We spoke blessings over the nations of the world, and then stood on the African nations we represent and prayed for them.

The Nigerians were the largest contingent, and had a joyful time of celebration and prayer as they gathered on the map.

Although Bingi and Vikki were the only representatives from Uganda, several others joined us to stand with us in prayer for 'the pearl of Africa.'

The Leadership Training Course will continue through Oct. 21.

Please pray for Vikki and Bingi and the rest of the LTC staff and students as we seek God's heart for leadership during these days.

Many blessings,

Vikki and Bingi

The DTS team has made it to the Lugot!!

2009-09-28T10:45:00.012+03:00

Here are some photos of the Discipleship Training School team that left 2 weeks ago on their 3-month outreach to the Lugot people in Isore, southern Sudan.

For background info about the Lugot people and the plans to help open a road to reach this isolated place, see the stories: The Tragic Reality of the Lugot of Sudan and Following God back to the Lugot.

It took 2 trucks to move the DTS outreach team into the mountains of Upper Talanga in southern Sudan.

The final destination, Isore, is a 5-hour walk from the nearest road, and the plan of the outreach team is to help the Lugot people re-open a road originally built by King George.

Due to the remoteness and isolation of Isore, the team had to carry all of their food, bedding, cooking equipment, etc. to meet their needs over the next 3 months.

The roads became narrower and more overgrown as the journey progressed...

...until they were little more than foot paths
through the forest.

At the end of the passable road, the team unloaded the trucks and prepared to make camp here for the start of the outreach.

After dropping off the DTS team, Yolam and John made the slow, mud-bogged journey back home.

The Isore mountains where our team will minister the love of God to the Lugot people.

Please continue to pray for our DTS team and the Lugot people:

That they will be able to build relationships as they work together to reopen the road.

That God will work in the hearts of the Lugot and make Himself known to them.

That the students and staff will see God work in new and wonderful ways that will build their faith and draw them closer to Him.

That they will be protected from disease and accidents throughout their stay in Isore.

Following God back to the Lugot

2009-09-24T11:39:00.008+03:00

In February of this year, a team of YWAMers from Arua, Uganda and Yei, Southern Sudan set out on a journey to find the Lugot…the ‘People of the Mountain’. This isolated group lives in a cluster of seven villages in a place called Isore, in Upper Talanga, Southern Sudan near the border of Uganda.

Our team drove to the end of the nearest road, parked the car, and hiked for 5 hours to reach Isore. What they found there broke their hearts.

With an estimated population of 6,850 people, there is not one pit latrine. There are no hospitals, no clinics; not even a little shop selling soap or sugar. The Lugot people walk 12 hours to the nearest town to buy salt.

The lack of pit latrines means that every time it rains, feces is washed downhill to pollute the river where the Lugot collect water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing. Instead of using the beautiful, fertile ground to grow food crops, it is used mainly for growing cassava and sorghum that are harvested, fermented and made into a local brew. Alcoholism is rampant. The locals live on wild greens, honey and bush meat. (For the full story, see The Tragic Reality of the Lugot of Sudan)

Our team returned from that initial visit with intestinal diseases and a heavy burden to do something to help these people. Through prayer, it was decided that this year’s Discipleship Training School (DTS) would use their 3-month outreach to go back to Isore and help the community reopen an access road originally built by King George.

To set things up, two of our DTS staff went back to Isore last month (August 09) and men with the Lugot Chief to discuss the possibility of our DTS team coming to work with them. This time, what they found made their spirits soar.

Where before there had been a spirit of despair and hopelessness, now there seemed to be a new attitude of optimism and possibility. Evidence of this was the building of

Isore’s first classroom,

a simple structure of poles and grass, but a structure nevertheless.

Previously there were no classrooms.

Not only that, but the land was covered with tall, strong maize stalks that the people will enjoy for many months.

YWAMer Mario walks through the maize 'forest'

When our DTS staff members met with the Chief (Patrick Olweny), they were amazed by his warm reception and positive attitude. His words give us many insights into the World View and ideas of these people:

“Isore has been highly favored by God,” Olweny said, “because ever since the time of our ancestors, when King George lived here and built a road for us, we have continued to see his favor to date. We would have all been dead by now because the LRA were very active here, and neither the UPDF (the Ugandan army) nor the SPLA (South Sudanese army) could manage them, but God, through these young men here, managed to flush them out. You see, we don’t even have any health facility here and we are drinking dirty water from the stream, yet God has provided our people with such immunity that none of them die easily. Our women are not like yours in Uganda; ours deliver like goats without any complications at all.

“We are so grateful for your coming because it has opened the eyes of our people,” Olweny continued. “Now we have no threat of famine like they do in the neighboring villages. Our people were able to cultivate maize and, thank God, rain has never disappointed us ever since your coming. And now that you are coming again we can totally remain assured of God’s love for us. You are like his angel whom he sends to open the eyes of those he loves.”

Roasting maize (Mario on the right)

Though the living conditions may seem quite acceptable to them, there are great needs in this place: the need for safe drinking water, primary health care, education (including adult literacy), proper farming practices and, of course, evangelism. But at the moment the greatest need is for an access road where vehicles could reach at least one of the seven villages in Isore.

Please pray for the DTS outreach team and the Lugot people as they work together to reopen the road and practically demonstrate the love of God.

The DTS team left for Isore on the 14th of September. Stay posted for more photos and updates of their outreach! Also, look for this story on YWAM’s international website: www.ywam.org in the next couple of weeks.

2009-08-25T14:18:00.007+03:00

Hi! My name is Felicity - I have just come back from an amazing 2 weeks at the Arua base and have been asked to write a short post giving a visitors perspective…so here we go…!

During my first week at the base I learnt that wherever you are in the world there is always a need for people who are fanatical about organising and tidying! And the office is looking loads better as a result! It was good fun to be able to do odd jobs and be useful on the base. During my second week, Firestarters, a church youth group from Coventry arrived so I joined their programme to help them settle in and plan outreach in a local village – their blogpost

will be coming up soon so look out for stories of their adventures and all God has done in and through them!

This was actually my second visit to Arua, my first visit was in 2007 as part of a student mission team. When I arrived this time I was really struck by how much the base had grown and how there is a constant pressing forwards of their vision. In 2 years it has changed so much – new buildings, new bridges (a good addition – I nearly fell in the river so many times on my last visit!), new people, new ideas and new ministries. I felt so at home and settled there – in fact I didn’t really want to leave! It is an inspiring place – their attitude of looking forwards and seeking the opportunities God is creating rubs off on you – I have been challenged in my walk with God and in the plans I had made for my future. It makes you realise that through God all things are possible and so much more than you can imagine.

YWAM East Africa Regional Staff Conference 2009

2009-08-05T11:04:00.012+03:00

Our East Africa Regional Staff Conference was held at YWAM Arusha base in Tanzania last week.

The theme for our conference was: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Prov 3:5)

Approximately 300 YWAMers gathered from the countries in the region including Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Southern Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Other YWAMers came from South Africa and South Korea to bless us with their presence.

It was great to catch up with old friends, and see the Body of Christ in YWAM in all its unique colors and nationalities.

Our keynote speaker was Sung Gun Hong, the Regional Director for YWAM East Asia. He's been in YWAM for more than 30 years, and his testimonies were very encouraging. He challenged us to stay in the presence of God, to cling to our Father and not go out of His will. He reminded us to be faithful in everything, and to pass on the baton of Faith, Obedience and Vision to the next generation. He concluded by exhorting us to be a blessing to the nations, just as we are blessed as we follow God.

Edwin Phillis on the right (Base Leader of Muizenberg, South Africa) declared that God wants to restore the Identity, Dignity and Destiny of Nations. He led us in an exuberant time of praise and worship that celebrated the national diversity within our gathering.

John Mukolwe on the left (Base Leader of Arusha, Tanzania) translated for Edwin.

Our East Africa Regional Directors, Method and Mary Kamanzi from Rwanda, gave lots of input into the conference. Method reminded us that the righteous shall live by faith, and talked about the challenges and rewards of trusting God for everything, and Mary led a workshop on HIV/Aids, and Families at Risk.

Here Method and Mary honor 'Baba' Choi from South Korea who is the founder of YWAM Arusha base.

Sitini on the left (Base Leader of YWAM Morogoro, TZ) translated for Jeremiah (National Director of YWAM TZ and Base Leader of YWAM Dar es Salaam). Jeremiah showed great humility and transparency with his testimonies on the struggles he has faced in YWAM and God's faithfulness through each of those struggles. He challenged us to a life of Christ-like servanthood, and encouraged us that tusting in the Lord means REST from our anxieties, fears and selfish ambitions.

Sitini also translated for Sam Kisolo on the right (National Director of YWAM Uganda) who exhorted us to unity and humility. He reminded us that humility is generous and selfless, and it opens the doors for others to excel.

Each day YWAMers from different nations led the whole assembly in worship.

The team from YWAM Tanzania
led us the first day.

Rwanda led us on Day 2...

...and Uganda took over on Day 3.

Edwin, Jeremiah, and Leo enjoy the worship.

The kids caught the spirit of worship and
joined the Rwandan team on stage.

John Wright (Base Leader YWAM Arua, Uganda) dances with his daughter, Keziah.

Baba Choi praises the Lord.

Sitini kneels in
worship to
God.

The conference ended with a 'Love Feast' followed by a blessed time of communion and prayer for the nations.

It was a very special week that we are still feeling the blessings of.

Many thanks go out to the team in YWAM Arusha for their hard work, commitment and excellent standard of service and hospitality. They were a big blessing to all of YWAM East Africa. May God bless you all!!

Emerge Team from Colorado

2009-07-25T17:06:00.008+03:00

The team that we have been preparing for has finally arrived. It is a team of 9 girls from all over the States. For most of the girls on this team, this is their first time being over seas and for some their first experience with missions. They will spend 12 days here in Arua. Please pray that God uses this team to be a blessing here to both the base and to the people we meet in Arua. Also, pray that these girls' hearts are broken for what God is doing in Africa and in missions.

So far, they have already visited a local village called Vurra, where they lead VBS for the nursery school there. They put together many skits, songs, dances, and much more. It was a great time for them to share the love of God with the children here in Uganda. It was such a blessing to see how excited the children were to play with bubbles and balls.

We also had the opportunity to pass out over 150 Mosquito nets to families in need. These nets were paid for by some college students from the States, who heard about the Malaria problem here in Uganda and raised money to buy mosquito nets. We like to think of them as the hands that raised the money and our team as the feet that delivered the nets. Please pray that God brings an end to Malaria in Uganda and all of Africa.

2009-07-20T21:01:00.006+03:00

Hello,

This is Amanda(the visitor from the United States) writing again. My husband and I have been having a great time getting to know all of the amazing families on the Arua base. Here is a photograph of my husband playing with some of the babies on base. He is now proud to say that the babies no longer shriek in terror at the mere sight of him! Please pray that God continues to bring families to do His work here in Arua.

It has also been a blessing to be on base while the Discipleship Training School has been in session. They are currently on their sixth week and learning about relationships and marriage. It challenges me to be around believers, who are so eager to go deeper in their walk with the Lord.

It is so exciting to have students from so many different African nations coming together to study. There are students from Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda, and the Congo.

Please pray that these students continue to grow and mature in their faith. Also, pray that God prepares these students to go to the nations and share the unfailing love of Christ.

2009-07-12T14:07:00.005+03:00

Hello,
My name is Amanda Degler and I will be filling in for Vikki for the next few weeks. I am currently visiting Arua for one month and we thought it would be fun to give readers an outside perspective of the base and all that is happening here.

My husband and I came from the ywam base in Colorado Springs. We were excited to see that a team from Colorado Springs just built a new bridge for the base here. Apparently this is the sixth or seventh bridge that the base has had, because the rain keeps washing them away. This bridge is a sort of symbol of the base's purpose, which is to be a bridge of healing to the nations. This is a perfect mission for a base that borders Sudan, Congo, and Kenya. Over the past few weeks, we have heard many stories of how they are reaching each of these Nations. It is so exciting to see their God-given vision becoming a reality.

Since we have been here on the base, we have had a great time playing with all the children here on base. Here is a photo of some of the staff's children. We find it amusing that they call my husband and I, Uncle and Auntie.

Well, that is all I have for now, but I will be sure to keep you updated on what is happening here in Arua.

Eric Higiro

2009-07-04T20:55:00.003+03:00

This is the second post highlighting a YWAM Arua staff member. Today we'd like to introduce you to ...

Eric Higiro

Eric is an out going, dramatic young man, who relates well with people, and delights sharing the word of God with others. He enjoys working with the youth and loves to see Muslims come to faith in Jesus. He is passionate about bringing hope to the hopeless and sharing in their challenges. His heart is to see God bring true forgiveness and reconciliation between his fellow Rwandans, freeing people from the bitterness that has existed since the genocide.

Eric did his DTS in 2007 in Rwanda, his homeland. After doing his outreach in Arua, he came to like the way the base related to the local community. He joined the staff in 2008. His passion is to see God open doors for ministry to the un-reached people in the neighbouring countries.

During his free time, he loves to pray and to visit his friends. He shares his testimonies of how he has grown in the knowledge of God since 2007.

As you read this post, Eric is on a journey back to Kigali to meet with some Rwandan pastors and other YWAMers who are serious about mobilizing the African churches to financially support their African missionaries. Many years of being on the receiving end of missionaries and financial aid has left many of the African countries with a wrong conception that missionaries come from the West and are supported by the West.

But the Great Commission calls ALL believers to go and tell the Good News, and that includes African Christians. We are excited that the Church in Rwanda is catching the vision of supporting their own people into missions , and we are blessed that they called Eric back to Kigali to discuss the calling God has given him to be a missionary in Uganda.

We are trusting God that some of the people Eric talks to will feel called to start a support team that will be praying and providing financially for him. At the moment Eric has no regular financial support.

Let's pray for Eric and the people he is meeting with, that they will hear God clearly and join hands in seeing His kingdom come in this place.

YWAM Arua staff pray for Eric as he prepares to visit Kigali

Meet Yolam and Dorothy Bingi...

2009-06-27T19:33:00.004+03:00

Thanks for your patience in the long delay between posts. We apologize for keeping you waiting for more exciting news from YWAM Arua!!

You've been reading a lot about some of the amazing things our visiting teams have been up to, and now we'd like to take time to introduce you to our staff.

We'll be posting short biographies of each of our staff, either as individuals or couples, intermingled with other posts about what's happening on the base. We'd like to thank students on the School of Journalism outreach team from South Africa, Lydia and Agnes, who interviewed our team and wrote these biographies for us...bless you ladies!!

So we'd like to kick off the first of our biographies by introducing you to...

Yolam and Dorothy Bingi!!

Yolam has worked in business all his life, and owns two transport trucks in Soroti. As a practical, hardworking man he is a huge asset to the base, fixing the vehicles and acting as the base driver. Yolam enjoys the adventure of driving outreach teams deep into the bush, has a great sense of humour and loves playing with the young children on the base. With these skills and passion, Yolam wants to run a vocational training school for the local youth, teaching them mechanics and driving skills.

Yolam became a believer late in life, after his wife Dorothy, who was already a Christian, was miraculously healed. He did his CDTS in 2006 and joined Arua staff in 2008. He looks at his time in YWAM as a season to serve and share knowledge through interacting with visitors.

Dorothy grew up as a Muslim in Soroti, Uganda, and was the first of her family to become a Christian. Coming from this background, her passion is to reach out to Muslim women and children - especially those traumatized by war. Wanting to empower them, Dorothy teaches tailoring skills to a group of local women, and loves this discipleship ministry. She also uses her dress making skills as a means of raising personal support and enjoys expressing herself in this creative way.

Dorothy and Yolam have three older children. She joined YWAM Arua staff in 2006 after doing her CDTS the previous year. She has staffed two DTSs, and having led an outreach into the Congo, feels a strong sense of calling to this area. In the long-term, she would love to be part of pioneering YWAM in the NE Congo.

Please stand with us in prayer for Yolam and Dorothy as they struggle to put their children through school and university, and continue serving God in the areas He has called them to.

The Great Gospel Crusade

2009-06-13T20:10:00.007+03:00

(Apologies for the delays in getting this post up. I had to rush to England unexpectedly to attend my father-in-law's funeral. Many thanks to Brienne from the Colorado Team who sent me the photos and explanations via e-mail in England so we could post this update. Blessings, Vikki)

An opportunity came up suddenly for some of the Colorado Springs Discipleship Training Outreach team to join with members of Grace Pentecostal Church in Arua for a crusade in the town of Nyadri, in the West Nile district of Uganda.

Eric, one of our YWAM Arua staff members from Rwanda, heard about the crusade and organized
several of the Colorado team members for the journey to Nyadri to take part in the Great Gospel Crusade.

Brienne writes: "We became quite close with a number of the girls throughout the four days of the crusade. We were eating, ministering and sleeping along side them. Comfort, who is on the left of the man in the blue shirt, was paired with me for one of our days of house visits. It was awesome to be able to lift each other up as we shared God’s love with many people.

"The very last visit we made was to the gang of boys who gather at the edge of town to give Boda (bicycle) rides to people. It was an intimidating group of more than 20 young men. They sat down in the shade to hear what we had to say, maybe more curious what these two girls were doing sitting down with them than anything. As we shared we found that three of them were very interested in Jesus and were able to lead those three and many others to God. It was an exciting moment! We felt like God wants to use the three who were so eager to learn as teachers for the town. They now have Bibles of their own and have been sent out to grow and share what they are learning with those around them."

Throughout the Crusade, several of the team took turns preaching and sharing their testimonies.

Here is Carol sharing a testimony....

...and Britnee sharing a testimony.

Worship was a key part of the Crusade.

"Joseph played guitar with the worship band during all of the crusades. Three days of crusade and three hours of worship an evening…his fingers were about to fall off. The people really appreciated him stepping in and enthusiastically filling a hole in their band. He was able to build strong friendships through this simple act."

Joao, Carol and Brienne lead worship on stage.

"We were so thankful to have Eric as our guide. He was my favorite person to look out and find as we were worshiping as he always had a smile on his lips and joy exuding from his body as he danced and sang to Jesus."

Carol dancing during worship

"The last day of the Crusades, we were in the back lifting up people right before the preacher began to preach. The entire week was bathed in a ton of prayer, it was the common thread in the middle of all the activities."

"Joao is holding a boy who we prayed for healing. He is four years old but looks like he is maybe 2. He was born with a condition where he just doesn’t grown up. He couldn’t sit up before we prayed for him, but the next day his mother brought him up to the front to say that she heard his back cracking in the night as he slept and when he woke up he was able to sit up with a straight back by himself."

"This young girl’s story was especially touching. Mandy looked like she was about four years old and was carried by her mother up to the front for prayer. Her arms and legs were like toothpicks and she didn’t speak a word. As we spoke with her mother, we were shocked to find out that the girl was almost 10 years old and had been like this since she was very small. The last day of the crusade, the pastor asked for testimonies, and the mother came up holding Mandy. She said that on the way home, after being prayed for, Mandy started to talk to her and asked her for bread and chai (tea)! They were blessed with a gift of money as they walked, and so she was able to buy bread for her daughter to eat. There was much rejoicing over everything that God was doing in that town."

"Milka is a girl from town who has some mental problems caused by malaria when she was about 7. She hugged and loved on us whenever we saw her. She was desperately sad when we had to leave and wanted to go with us. Her father is a pastor and we were told that she hasn’t allowed anyone to pray over her for the healing of her mind. Because of the relationship Britnee and I had built with Milka, we were able to spend some time in prayer with her. It was a blessing to us and I think encouraging to her family as well."

"We left tired, but so refreshed and encouraged, both by the people we were with as well as the miracles that we saw. The best part is that the whole ministry was planned by the churches here in Arua and we just came alongside them. It is beautiful to see the church functioning as it should, growing strong and then reaching their own people. "

YWAM Arua would like to say a big THANK YOU to the whole Colorado team for their hard work, commitment, and passion to share the love of God. We appreciate and love you all! Be blessed as you continue to follow God's leading.

The Colorado team sees God at work in northwestern Uganda

2009-05-26T17:55:00.009+03:00

A few days ago we posted some pics from the Colorado Springs DTS outreach in a Congolese refugee camp in southern Sudan.

Today we want to show you more photos and share more testimonies about the amazing things God is doing in and through this team in Uganda. Be blessed as you read!

The team went from Sudan to a small town called Paidha in Western Uganda, where they met

Pastor Sipi and his wife Mama Rose.

The pastor and his wife hosted the team while they were busy doing ministry in the town.

The team started off with doing open-air crusades where they

worshipped God,

acted out skits,

and preached the Good News!

This man, Alfred, was in the crowd at one of the open-air crusades, and then started visiting the team at Pastor Sipi's house to ask questions and learn more about God. After several discussions, he decided to give his life to Christ! He is the first in his family of Muslims to become a follower of Christ.

Joam was given the honour to baptize Alfred, after which he was prayed for by Pastor Sipi and given a new name...Joshua. Please pray for this lovely man as he goes to his family in Congo to share with them the Good News!

These women were also at the open air. Gloria, one of the team's faithful translators, is on the far left with the crutches. The woman on the far right of the bench in the green shoes is Mama Rosalyn. She was lying uncovered in the bus park waiting to die. Her relatives chased her out of her home and then burned it because she has Epilepsy and they didn't want to care for her any longer. She hadn't eaten for five days and had just cried out to God to save her when we came along. She is now well fed, clothed and staying with the pastor and his family.

The team also spent three days in Paidha running a youth camp. There were over 150 children and many adults who came to learn and play. On the first day this dear girl, Makieve, walked up to Britnee and shyly asked her if she would be her friend. She was there at every event they held the entire week and would walk up to Britnee so she could hold her hand.

This precious girl also followed the team everywhere they went.

The team made lots of friends and were able to input into many people's lives.

Joe, Shadrach, Nick, Francis, Ben have a hug and a smile on the day they left Paidha.

Please continue to pray for their remaining weeks with us here in Arua. Another post coming next with stories of the team in Maracha seeing the lame healed, the blind see and the deaf speak!! Don't miss it!

Colorado team shares God's love in Sudan

2009-05-23T07:46:00.010+03:00

The Colorado Springs DTS outreach team is with us here in Arua after spending several weeks at our sister base in Yei, Southern Sudan. Here are some pics of their time in Yei.

In the next few days we'll also post pics of their time in Paidha (Uganda) where you can see them baptizing a former muslim who accepted Christ after hearing them preach.

Please keep praying for the team as they share God's love with the people around Arua.

Open air in a Congolese Refugee Camp.

Brienne said, "We spent a few days ministering in the camp and were touched by the people we met there. We split up into two groups and stayed in tents in the middle of the camp. We wanted to live as close to the people as possible.
The refugees were mainly from Congo and were displaced by LRA activity. You can see the white tarps supplied by the UNHCR to each family. There were over 20,000 people in this one camp with more arriving each day."

Brienne playing jump rope with some girls in the refugee camp

William and Britnee play soccer with the kids

"Hatia had been struggling with mental illness for the last year. When we met her she would just sit around in her own world wrapping string around a stick again and again never looking and never smiling. We prayed for her healing for two days and on the third day we were ecstactic to find here helping her mother cook our lunch! Her mother, Mama Mary, basically adopted us and came to our camp site each morning to cook and care for us. She wouldn't let us do anything for ourselves and was a huge blessing. We would not have been able to minister as much as we did if she hadn't blessed us."

This is the son of Pastor Phillip, who was our guide and translator for the time we were in the refugee camp. He is playing with a toy truck that was a gift from supporters in Colorado.

Back at the YWAM base in Yei...

Isaiah is an orphaned boy with AIDS. He was brought to the YWAM clinic on Yei base by his 9 year-old sister two weeks before we arrived in Yei. He and his sister Rose stayed at the base for almost two months while he regained health. They are now living in an orphanage just down the road. Isaiah really became a part of our team and could be found in the arms of one of the boys whenever we were in the compound.

Isaiah and Derek

Isaiah and Nick

Kurt with a crew of boys at the Iris orphanage where Isaiah and Rose are now living.

We praise God for the many lives He is touching through this team!

Headin' to the hills

2009-05-15T14:19:00.010+03:00

The staff of YWAM Arua took a much-needed break this last week and headed to Biku Retreat Center in Paidha, 2 hours south of Arua.

It rained all morning as we drove up into the hills, which made the journey quite terrifying as our vehicles fish-tailed back and forth on the muddy murram roads.

We co-opted some of the Colorado DTS team that are here on outreach to come lead worship for us, so it was a huge blessing to have Brianne, Joseph and Derek singing, strumming, and drumming for us.

We were also honored to have Les Hall, another YWAMer from Colorado Springs, speaking to us and encouraging us in God's Word. It was the first time someone came from outside our base just to speak into our lives, and it was a big blessing to us.

Thank you so much, Les!!! We love you!

The rest of the time we enjoyed various team building activities, lots of good food, energetic dancing around the campfire (and s'mores!!) and quality time with God and each other.

Lowering a stick to the ground...it's much harder than it looks!

It was pretty cold the first two days, and our team members came up with some interesting head gear to keep themselves warm.

The other method of warming up was lots of singing and dancing.

Thank you, God, for special times like these of fun, friends and refreshment. We needed that!

CRITters unite!

2009-04-29T15:24:00.008+03:00

YWAMers from all over the globe are gathering in Jinja, Uganda, this week for the 6th CRIT consultation.

CRIT is

"Communication, Research and Information Technology"

and was formed six years ago in response to the word of the Lord that YWAM's central nervous system, or Communication backbone, was sick and in need of healing. The YWAMers realized that communication within the mission and out to the rest of the world was not functioning well, and needed to be strengthened.

Previous CRIT consultations have been held in England, America, Argentina and India. This is the first CRIT to be held in Africa.

The participants have come from bases in Argentina, Venezuela, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Czech Republic, Switzerland, England, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa and USA to discuss how we can build and strengthen communications between our bases, within YWAM international, and to the whole body of Christ.

Aaron Musch and Vikki Wright are representing the Arua base, and are helping look at issues affecting communication in East Africa.

Members of Africa's communications team, AfriCom, are facilitating the event and pursuing the idea of launching new communications teams in East and West Africa. Other communication teams have been launched in recent years in South America (LatinCom), India (SpiceCom), Europe (EuroCom), and Asia/Pacific (AspaCom).

Here in Uganda we are excited about the potential that improved communications will bring to our mission, not just in networking but in uniting us as a region, as a continent, and as an international mission.

Please stand with us in prayer as we continue to seek God's strategies in this vital area.

Lausanne YWAMers get their hands DIRTY!

2009-04-21T10:34:00.017+03:00

One of the words God spoke to our Prison Ministry team this year was 1 John 3: 16-18 which says:

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

And that is exactly what the Discipleship Training School outreach team from Lausanne, Switzerland has been doing while they've been on outreach with us here in Arua.

First, they headed down to a big soccer field (football pitch), donned their trendy yellow gloves, and got to work picking up trash. This field is at a main intersection right in Arua town, and soon enough, the presence of this team there picking up rubbish drew some interested on-lookers.

This woman came from a nearby sub-county called Maracha, and just happened to be visiting Arua that day. As she passed the soccer field and saw the Swiss team picking up rubbish, she also felt compelled to join them. So they gave her a pair of gloves, and she became part of their rubbish picking team.

The team was officially welcomed and appreciated by the town mayor, Mr. Charles Asiki, who thanked the team members for their heart to serve the community, and provided members of the Municipal Council representing the Department of Health and Hygiene to assist the team. The Municipal Council provided the gloves and bags for collecting the rubbish, and one member joined the team in the work. They also took responsibility to transport the rubbish to the dump.

Journalists from Voice of Life, a local Christian radio station, came to the field to interview the team members and try to find out what they were doing and why. It was a great opportunity to share the love of Christ in action and encourage others to look after God's creation.

Still eager to serve, the team continued loving in action by solving a drainage problem out at Giligil Prison. We have been working in this prison for several years now, running Alpha Courses and teaching the Word of God, but as we said earlier, we knew God wanted us to do something practical, as well. So when we heard that the prison had a problem draining the water run-off from the bathing areas, we went to have a look.

We found that the water from the guys' baths was collecting in a pool just outside the prison walls, and stagnating into a smelly bog. Mosquitos were happily breeding in the stagnant water and causing a high rate of malaria among the prisoners.

So the Swiss team and some of our Arua YWAMers got to work with some pipes, bricks and cement to redirect the flow of water and channel it away from the prison.

Some of the prisoners joined the work, and were grateful that something was being done that would reduce their chances of getting sick.

They worked all day, enduring the smell, the grime and a rain shower, but they got it done!

Dirty, wet and tired....yet they STILL have smiles on their faces! Now THAT'S an outreach team, for ya!

Well done, friends! You guys rock!

Delivery by Grace

2009-04-19T15:31:00.005+03:00

Some of you may know that YWAM Arua is a sister base to YWAM Yei in Southern Sudan. YWAM Arua handles much of the logistical support for YWAM Yei's visitors and administrative needs. Most of the visitors going to Yei pass through Arua, and we get together for joint staff retreats and other programmes.

So it is great to bring you news of an exciting event that took place at the Yei YWAM base a few weeks ago. Our YWAM base there runs a small primary health care clinic called "Only Grace" which is much appreciated by the local community who are several miles from the nearest hospital. The clinic workers regularly assist in pre-natal care and the delivery of babies.

This delivery, however, was unique in that the pregnant woman was paralyzed from the waist down. From the time she was 9 years old, this mother has been crippled with polio and unable to walk.

Thankfully, with the help of Lia Bierly and Miriam Owot, the mother was able to deliver her baby successfully.

Praise the Lord, for it's only His Grace which could do it!

Easter roller coaster

2009-04-14T20:10:00.002+03:00

Easter weekend was a bit of a roller coaster this year. Thankfully, we have 4 teams visiting us from various corners of the world who all pitched in to make the Easter programme a success.

Everything started well on Saturday when all the YWAM kids, various friends and visitors went to the Wrights' house to decorate eggs...

Jimmy, Junior and Deborah get started

Noah designs with crayon before coloring

Aidan and Joanna dye their eggs AND their fingers

We colored about 150 eggs, then had fun playing the Wii and running around the house.

Sunday morning dawned a bit windy and cool, but we didn't think too much about it. Tim Heathcoate, (from Capetown, South Africa with the School of Journalism team), preached at PAG church while the clouds gathered and the wind picked up. Jjust after lunch a serious tropical storm hit. The rain came fast and furious, and we thought, "Good, let it rain now and then dry up in time for our Easter program at the base." Sometimes these African showers are hard and heavy for 20-30 minutes, then they stop suddenly, the sun comes out, and everything starts up again from where it left off.

Not this one. The heavy storm passed eventually, but the rain continued slightly less ferociously, and by 2:30 we knew we'd have to cancel our egg hunt. We were seriously bummed, but there was no way we could scramble around on that muddy, sodden ground. Reluctantly we sent out the word that the programme was cancelled.

Just after the rain, though, a large crowd turned up at the YWAM base ready for the programme! Some of our staff told them to come back at 10 the next morning. So the programme was back on!

We believe God was at work with the rain storm because several of our Hindu friends would not have been able to attend if it had been Sunday afternoon as planned. Since it was rescheduled for Monday morning, however, Laksmi and Meena, and Meena's kids were able to come, which was a big blessing for us.

We started the program with a couple visiting from England on the Coventry team, Nick and Claire Bradshaw, who sang a lovely song about Jesus being alive.

Then we had the opportunity to explain the story of Easter with our friends and acquaintances from town, many of whom have never heard the story of why Jesus died and the hope we have since He rose again. We used the Resurrection eggs to tell the Gospel story to a crowd of about 50 visitors.

And then we had the big hunt!

We divided the group into 'littles'...

and 'bigs'

and off they went to find the eggs hidden around our base.

Afterwards we shared snacks of popcorn, peanuts, chocolate eggs, and of course...the hard-boiled Easter eggs.

What we thought was going to be a failed programme, God rescheduled to make it more successful than ever.
Things aren't always as gloomy as they seem, and we have hope because no matter what disappointment, what tragedy, what failure...Jesus already won the victory when He rose from the grave, and we can trust that His plans are better than ours!

Praise the Lord...He is alive!

SOFM team brings hope and Good News

2009-03-26T20:26:00.009+03:00

Paul, Rafael and Dani
School of Frontier Missions outreach team

One of the many blessings in YWAM is having visiting teams come and partner with our base for a season, but it is also hard to say good-bye to new friends who have joined our YWAM family.

Paul (South African), Rafael (Ghanaian) and Dani (Mexican) came up from South Africa on their School of Frontier Missions outreach. Right from the start they blended into our team and became part of us. They did various outreaches in the nearby community most of the time, but the last two weeks they went to Nyambiri-Busia, right in the northwest corner of Uganda on the borders of both Congo and Sudan, and reached out to the people of that place.

It wasn't an easy place to work. As is typical in remote places, there were challenges of poor hygiene and a lack of clean water. But the team found the local people to be very hospitable and welcoming. They visited 13 families, sharing the Good News and praying with the people.

They also ministered to the men at the local drinking spot.

While Dani and Paul were sick with malaria, Rafael kept the show on the road with a discipleship seminar for 56 people.

The guys did practical work as well...Dani helped pound the flour for lunch.

Paul spent a lot of time playing with the kids and showing them the love of Jesus.

And just as Jesus did, the team washed the feet of the local church members, who were grateful for the team's encouragement and support in the ministry.

We just want to say a big THANK YOU to Paul, Rafael and Dani, for all your hard work and commitment. May God bless you, and come back soon! We miss you!

The tragic reality of the Lugot of Sudan

2009-03-22T15:55:00.030+03:00

High in the mountains of southern Sudan, among lush forests and fertile soil, live a group of people descending from the Acholi tribe known as the Lugot...People of the Mountain.

At the end of February, a team of YWAMers from the Arua and Yei bases journeyed to the Lugot villages to visit these people we have been praying for. What they saw broke their hearts.

In the foothills of Upper Talanga, there are 7 villages that make up Isore Pyam. The total population is approximately 4,700 people, but there’s not one pit latrine to be found. Nor are there any shops, clinics, or hospitals. The nearest place to buy salt is a 12-hour mountainous walk away.

"This is a people group on the verge of extinction," Bosco reported. "They are merely survivors. There are no pit latrines, and the place is hilly, so all the feces gets washed down into the rivers...the same water that they cook with, drink, and occasionally bathe in."

Our team drove as far as they could to a place called Lobone, and then shouldered their bags for the 5 hour hike to Isore Pyam. There are no roads to the villages, no NGO work or development of any kind, not even a church presence. In Lobone, a couple of pastors joined our team for the trip to Isore...it was their first time to ever reach the place. Most people just don't bother...it's too far and too isolated.

Our team crossed rivers on precarious bridges (above),

and climbed up steep hills (left) ,

and more steep hills (below).

A few dedicated teachers run one school outside under a tree, which serves all 7 villages. They teach students from P1-P4 all together...about 40 kids in total. Many others can't come because it's just too far away from their homes.

The students do their best to learn in this makeshift classroom

The Lugot men spend most of their time hunting for bush meat. If they have a very successful hunting trip, any excess meat can be carried to Agoro in northern Uganda and sold. The proceeds then go to buy salt, sugar, etc. Again, Agoro is a 12-hour walk over hilly terrain! Not something you do very often.

A successful day for this hunter.

Our team was astonished at how fertile the land was, but the Lugot were growing very few crops.

A healthy bunch of bananas

"Look at what we are eating," this woman said to Bosco.
"Wild greens from the swamp."

A close up of the wild greens

The Lugot people have no tools for digging and no seeds for sowing...the few crops they grow are sorghum and cassava (used for brewing the local beer), maize and bananas. The rest of their diet consists of bush meat...

Paul (red shirt) studies his piece of bush meat

and honey.

Pastor Sam shares a bowl of honey still on the comb

Here the team shares a plate of cassava bread and greens...

Pastor Sam prays for the lady who cooked the meal...

...and Bosco washes it down with the only available water for drinking...taken from the polluted river. (Yes, they all took various medicines for deworming and other diseases when they got back!!!)

"One of the big problems in that place is that everyone drinks the local beer and smokes marijuana. In the evenings we heard some co-wives fighting and screaming, but nobody comes to help them. No one cares...it's just normal."

Historically, the Lugot have been victims of circumstance. Some years back, the notorious Ugandan rebel group...the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)...hid in the hills of Upper Talanga and terrorized the Lugot people. The Ugandan army and the southern Sudan army teamed up to flush out the LRA from that area, and the Lugot were caught in the crossfire. They were blamed for aiding and supporting the LRA, even though the LRA were in fact killing the Lugot. When the LRA attacked the Langi tribe in southern Sudan, the Langis retaliated against the Lugot. The Lugot people had nowhere to turn, with enemies on every side. It’s not surprising they turned to drugs and alcohol...their lives looked hopeless to them.

This hopelessness pervades the area...it's as if the Lugot people have resigned themselves to their fate. Our team members found this little boy sitting off by himself, looking miserable, and they asked him what was wrong. He just pointed to his belly with a haunted look in his eyes, and our YWAMers couldn't stop their tears. "He looked so sick, without any hope in his eyes," said Paul. "Even his parents seemed to have no hope of seeing life in him. He had isolated himself away from the other kids, like he was just waiting to die. It was horrible."

Witchcraft and animism are practiced in Isore, and our team came across several altars used by the local 'priests' (ie. witchdoctors).

This is the house of a known witch doctor...notice the small stone altar to the left of the door

A close up of the stone altar

A hilltop altar used by the witchdoctors for sacrifices

In spite of all the hardships and challenges, the Lugot people were very welcoming and hospitable. Our team sensed openness and a desire for change in the place. They held several meetings and explained to the Lugot that we had heard about them, had been praying for them, and wanted to visit them so we could learn first-hand about their situation and pray with greater understanding.

In typical African fashion, the men sit together on one side of the clearing (above), and the women and children sit on the other (right).

The Lugot women and children

We didn't promise roads or schools or clinics, but wanted to make the initial contact with the Lugot and let them know they are not forgotten. One Lugot man said, "If you come to help us build a road, we are ready to join hands with you. Even if it means cutting the stones or the logs, we are ready for it."

Our YWAM team is still seeking God about the next step, but in the meantime, please pray with us for the Lugot people...

For their health and safety.
For that little sick boy, and the children in general.
That God will make a way to bring His people into that place and transform the hearts and lives of the Lugot.
That a physical road will be built to help the people of Isore access the simple staples of live easier, like salt and sugar.
That they will come to know Jesus, and become the salt themselves.
For wisdom for our team as we seek the Lord.

Thank you, and God bless.

Arua base hosts the National Leadership Team

2009-03-14T14:54:00.011+03:00

The YWAM Uganda National Leadership Team was with us here in Arua this week. Without giving them much time to settle in, we whisked them off to Prayer Mountain in Goli (Nebbi District...2 hours away) for a day of creative prayer, ministry and intercession. This involved climbing around the beautiful, mountainous Biku Retreat Center.

Aaron and Harriet, YWAM Arua staff, led us in a time of worship among the rock outcroppings to kickstart the day.

John, YWAM Arua base leader, felt like worshipping from his perch in a tree...one of his favorite places to be.

Maybe that's why he needed a little cat nap later...

Following a Word from the Lord to our President, John Dawson, we examined our relationships and committed to righting any relationships that had drifted or were in conflict. We determined to be people who intentionally seek true, loving relationships in our teams, rather than just exist in polite cooperation with each other.

We also committed to take our positions as YWAM elders... to be like Moses and Aaron and Hur (Exodus 17) who stood on a mountaintop and engaged in the battle of the Israelites below by holding up the staff of the Lord.

The setting of Prayer Mountain, with lovely stone prayer structures scattered among the mountain, and a tall cross at the top, was perfect for the re-enactment of Moses and Company's climb to the top of the hill and raising up of the staff.

Climbing the mountain...

The stone prayer structures...

Sam Kisolo, YWAM Uganda National Director and our 'Moses', climbs the mountain to the cross with his staff...

Members of the NLT and other base leaders commit to 'holding up the staff'... or staying engaged in the activities of the younger generation of YWAMers.

It was a great day out with lots of laughter and bonding, and a sense of God's unity among us.

John demonstrates his Samson-like strength in holding up a very heavy rock...

Sam Kisolo and Robert, staff of National Office, take over when John gets tired...

The rest of the week was filled with intercession for the various YWAM bases in Uganda and southern Sudan, and times of prayerful decision-making concerning issues affecting the Mission. Those of us who are not members of the NLT, but had been invited to sit in on the meetings, felt a real sense of love and caring among the NLT, and were thankful for the commitment they have to all of us in YWAM. We are thankful for their leadership, and pray for more of God's wisdom and guidance in their lives.

He's arrived!!

2009-03-02T20:05:00.007+03:00

Last week we asked you to pray for Esther Kiyingi, a friend of YWAM Arua and Ugandan missionary to Sudan, who was staying at our base as she waited for the birth of her new baby.

Many thanks to everyone who prayed for Esther...on Saturday evening Esther went into labor, and we are happy to announce that she gave birth to a big, beautiful, baby boy...4.1 kilos (9.04 pounds)!!! It was a difficult delivery, but God saw her through, and both Mommy and baby are healthy. Praise the Lord!

Esther's husband, Martin, and their first born daughter, Joy, arrived from Sudan the day after the delivery to welcome their newest member into the family.

Say 'hello' to Mwesigwa...a Luganda name meaning "God is Faithful". Surely He is!

For more information on the Kiyingis and their ministry in southern Sudan, see this post.

God's heart for the prison community

2009-03-01T14:19:00.005+03:00

We've been working in the prisons now for a couple of years, but this year we felt God calling us to go deeper in all the base ministries. We restructured our system into four main ministries...youth, family, church and prisons.

In the prisons ministry, the team took time to seek God's heart for this year. What was his vision for the prisoners and the prison community? Were we on the right track in what we were already doing, or was there something more or different?

Showing "The Passion" in the prison community (prisoners in yellow)

As we listened to the Lord, He showed us that we needed a two-handed approach in the prison ministry...

1 John 3:16-18 says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

We prayed some more for ideas of what that love in action looked like, and came up with a number of things, but for the sake of this post, I just want to highlight 3:

1. Provide English as a Second Language and Literacy training for prisoners
2. Connect released prisoners with Vocational Training programmes to help rehabilitate them back into society
3. Run the Alpha Course with the various groups within the prison community, including, prisoners, Prison Warders, and Prison Warders' spouses (mainly wives).

There were other objectives we felt God put on our hearts, but I highlighted these 3 because of a newspaper clipping I saw about a week after we had drafted our prison ministry proposal.

This is the clipping...pay special attention to paragraph 2:

This article seemed to confirm exactly what God had already been speaking to us. It was as if He was saying, "See! You are hearing right from me. We're in this together."

What an unexpected blessing, and valuable affirmation of what God is doing in the prisons.

To top it off, our team went for our regular Thursday discipleship time at Giligil prison, and one of the prisoners handed us a rolled up newspaper. After having it checked by the Deputy Officer in Charge, we found that inside was a hand-painted batik of two women dancing under a coconut tree.

"It's a picture of women giving glory to God," the prisoner, Simon, said. "You people have been coming here for long, now, and caring for us. This is just a small token of our appreciation for all you people have done for us prisoners."

For the first time ever, we received a gift from a prisoner. Not that it is about getting anything back...it's not! But it was especially touching to us that this prisoner, who has nothing and lives in challenging circumstances, would give us something. We were so humbled. What could we say? Thank you didn't seem sufficient.

And this is why we labor there...because every one of these men, women and children in the prison community is made in the image of God, and He calls them 'son' and 'daughter.' They are our brothers and sisters, and Jesus has shown us the example, that we must lay down our lives for our brethren.

That is what love is...God's love in us flowing out to bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. May His love be more abundant in us as we follow His lead.

And may the glory be His alone.

********
Opportunities: If you have a heart for prison ministry, ESL or literacy training, vocational training or teaching the Word of God, please pray about joining hands with us in YWAM Arua.
'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.'

We would love to hear from you! E-mail us at: ywamarua at yahoo dot com

What do you think of our new look?

2009-02-24T12:08:00.007+03:00

Thanks to Aaron Musch

(YWAM kid from the Atlanta base,
short-term volunteer to YWAM Arua,
website designer and all around cool guy)
who designed our header photo,

Nicole MacIver

(YWAM Arua staff on furlough in Canada at the moment)
who initiated the blog in the first place,

Esthermay Goosen,

(amazing woman of God based in the USA
with a servant heart and unlimited patience for tweaking blog designs)
who designed the template,
advised on the background design,
and helped with lots of other bits and pieces,

and a little bit of input from Vikki Wright

(long-term YWAM Arua staff,
writer and mother of 3)
who put it all together
and still has hair remaining...

...we now launch the new look for the YWAM Arua blog!!! Yay!

We hope it captures the heart and vision of our base...

to be a bridge of healing to the nations.

As it's still under construction, most of the tabs don't have any info in them yet (ie...DTS info, What to pack, etc.) so please be patient with us! We'll get some data in there soon.

Aaron is also designing a website for the YWAM Arua base, which you can follow the progress of at www.ywamarua.weebly.com

We're excited to see our base join the 'high-tech' world of blogs and websites! To us this is a major achievement!

Be blessed as you follow the latest news and activities happening here in the heart of Africa!

Building bridges

2009-02-21T20:51:00.006+03:00

YWAM Arua has always seen short-term teams as part of our long-term vision. We host outreach teams from other YWAM bases and churches around the world. Just in the last month we've had teams from Germany, South Africa, and the USA.

This team is a combined Discipleship Training School, and School of Worship, outreach from the Tyler, Texas base.

They joined hands with an outreach team from the School of Frontier Missions in South Africa to make a physical representation of the Vision of our base.

We believe God has called YWAM Arua to be a bridge of God's healing to the people of West Nile, Southern Sudan, North Eastern DR Congo, Central African Republic and beyond by rebuilding broken lives, restoring hope, and equipping the church for the discipling of the nations.

Eventually we plan to build a permanent footbridge here that will be a physical reminder of the task God has given us to reach the hurting and lost with His unfathomable love.

What a privilege to parter with Him in bringing hope to the hurting, and what a joy to do it with people from all around the world.

Thanks to all the teams and visitors who give their time, skills and resources to join us...we couldn't do it without you!

Waiting for a new arrival...

2009-02-20T11:51:00.005+03:00

Esther Kiyingi is a Ugandan missionary to Sudan, and a close friend of YWAM Arua.

Esther and her husband Martin, first came to Arua in 2003, and stayed with the YWAM team as they prepared to follow God's call to go to Sudan. After one month in Arua, the Kiyingis moved to Yei, Southern Sudan, and planted a church called Christian Missionary Fellowship International (CMFI). CMFI is an evangelical ministry involved in preaching the Word of God, planting churches and making disciples all over Sudan.

Currently CMFI reaches out to the community around Yei with education and health projects. Esther is a doctor and is able to use her medical skills to bless the local community and open hearts to Jesus.

CMFI has also started a nursery school (preschool) and a Primary school, and are in need of more teachers, especially in the preschool.

At the moment, Esther is in Arua with us at the YWAM base awaiting the birth of their baby. In 2004, Esther came down to deliver from Arua, but sadly, the baby died. They named her Joy and took her back to be buried at their new home in Sudan. It was an extremely difficult time for them, but Esther believes it helped them to be more accepted in the community, as many of the Sudanese women have had miscarriages or had babies die. Sharing that common ground of loss bridged a cultural gap between Esther and the Sudanese ladies, and united them as women. Now we pray that they will grow in their relationship, and that one day they will be united in the Spirit as sisters in Christ.

Please pray for Esther as she nears the time of delivery. The baby is due Wednesday, the 25th, but even as I took this picture this morning, Esther said she was feeling contractions. Whether they are the 'real' ones, or whether she still has some days to wait, we ask that you stand with us in prayer for her and the baby's health and safe delivery.

For more information about their ministry in Sudan, e-mail: emfisudan@yahoo.com

Thank you for your prayers!

Another brick in the wall

2009-02-10T09:45:00.006+03:00

Susan and Kotomor friends

Deep in the heart of northern Uganda, in the middle of a war-ravaged land, a team of eleven young people shod their feet with the Good News and proclaimed the love of God.

Formerly the stomping ground of the rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army, Pader district in northern Uganda remains traumatized by more than 20 years of terror. Internally Displaced People (IDP) Camps sprung up around the region to provide some semblance of security for the thousands of people forced to abandon their farms and homes and flee to safety.

But these IDP Camps have faced serious challenges of lack of proper sanitation, poor hygiene, overcrowding, and limited facilities.

Kotomor IDPs

YWAM Jinja, Uganda, heard about the situation in these camps, and decided to do something about it. They took up the challenge to provide education for the hundreds of children left idle without a school. In 2007, they began to build the Kotomor Primary School.

Our team of passionate young people gave their holiday time to partner with the YWAM Jinja team and minister into this needy area. One brick at a time, they contributed to the construction of the school by the sweat of their brow.

Pour in the mixture...

Press it down...

Keep pressing it down, even if it takes 3 of you...

...and stack the finished product ready for the builders!

One heart at a time, they showed love to the people of Kotomor, carrying their children, playing football with them, and sharing with them the Good News of Jesus Christ, through preaching, dramas and home visits.

No, they're not fighting...it's a drama!

Susan and a precious baby

Modern technology connects the IDPs to the rest of the world

This short outreach may seem insignificant to some, but to the people of Kotomor, it was another reminder that they are not forgotten.

And to our team of young people, it was a chance to see God work through them and in them as they were obedient to His voice, and accepted His call to be part of the Great Commission.

Well done, GO Campers, and may God continue to bless you as you serve Him.

And to the rest of the readers, please continue to lift up the people of Kotomor in prayer, that God's will shall be done in them and that area as it is in Heaven. Amen.

GO Campers hit the road

2009-01-17T14:50:00.003+03:00

Our GO Campers have finished their week of teachings and are off today to the war-ravaged land of Pader, in northern Uganda.

- Pray for a safe journey as they travel, and for spiritually open eyes to see what God is doing in that place.

- Pray for the joy of the Lord to be their strength, and His heart of compassion to flow through them to the people they meet.

- Pray for fertile ground in the hearts of the people to receive God's word.

GO Camp off to a good start

2009-01-13T12:11:00.005+03:00

The GO Camp is off to a great start, with 7 students from Uganda and New Zealand. Paul kicked off the week with an inspirational message Sunday night,
and Vikki shared about the Father Heart of God on Monday.

The two New Zealand ladies, Susan and Hannah, led their fellow students in worship declaring 'Our God is an Awesome God!'

A team from YWAM Hopeland, Jinja, will be sharing about Evangelism and Team Dynamics today, and teaching the students some dramas and dances they can use on outreach.

Please be praying for the outreach that starts on Saturday. Our GO Campers will be going to Pader, Northern Uganda...an area that has suffered under the terror of the Lord's Resistance Army for many years. The area is safe, now, since Kony and the LRA moved over to Congo, but the trauma remains. Pray that the hearts of the people will be softened and open to hearing God's word, and that they will be able to receive His love and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.

GO Camp is coming...

2009-01-08T20:55:00.006+03:00

Happy New Year 2009!!

Sorry for the long delay since our last post. We're planning to revamp our blog and get more regular with our postings...so watch this space!

At the moment, we're gearing up for our annual GO Camp...Global Opportunities. This is a 1-week missions camp followed by a 2-week outreach aimed at 18-25 year-olds who have a heart for God and want to learn more about missions. We introduce topics common to our Discipleship Training Schools, like Hearing the Voice of God, the Father Heart of God, Evangelism, and Missions, to name a few.

It's an action-packed week filled with teachings, dramas, intercession, team building activities, campfires, etc.

Last year our team went to Sudan for their outreach and helped a local village church make bricks for a new church building. Not only were they doing something meaningful and appreciated by the local community, but they got to play in the mud!!

This year our outreach will be to northern Uganda to a place called Pader where a current YWAM ministry is working with the internally displaced people (IDPs). The area has long suffered under the brutal terror of the Lord's Resistance Army, and many people have lived in these IDP camps for years. The area is now peaceful, but the trauma lingers on in the hearts of many. We are thankful for the opportunity to minister love and hope to these people who have suffered so much.

We'll keep you posted on how it all goes!

Let's Go!!

Interview with Makiaga Family

2008-07-15T11:38:00.002+03:00

I have had the great privilege of hearing the story of Samuele and Julienne’s trip here to Arua to attend the 2008 CDTS (Crossroads Discipleship Training School), which I would love to share with you. Samuele and Julienne have longed to attend the CDTS since last year’s outreach team went to their home in Isiro, Congo. The way they got here is definitely a story worth telling.

On May 12^th, they departed Isiro with their 2 year old daughter, Veronique. Julienne went by motorbike with Veronique and all the family’s luggage along with rice they planned to eat along the way. She traveled 65km to a village called Ganga, while Samuele rode his bicycle. They were planning to meet in Ganga but ended up separated with no way of contacting eachother. Samuele, thinking Julienne had gone on ahead, continued on his bicycle for another 400km! Unfortunately, while Julienne was in Ganga, thieves stole most of their money, so, thinking Samuele had been delayed, she decided to walk back to Isiro in search of him! She carried Veronique on her back and the luggage she could carry on her head.

After a week had gone by and Samuele had not found Julienne, he decided to also head back to Isiro. He arrived back home on the very same day as Julienne, 4 hours after her! Julienne arrived at 8pm; Samule at midnight! The bicycle had been spoiled along the way, so Samuele and his children spent the whole night fixing it, hoping to leave the next day!

And indeed, the very next day, May 19^th, they took off again, exhausted but driven by their desire to attend this DTS in Arua. This time they refused to be separated and rode together on the bicycle they’d repaired. Samuele rode, Julienne sat behind with the luggage tied behind her, and the little bit of rice (one or two day’s worth) they were meant to eat along the way, while Veronique rode in front. The motivation to get to Arua drove them without hunger or exhaustion. They would travel 9 hours a day beginning at 7am and stopping at 4pm. They would not stop to eat anything, only feeding Veronique while they kept riding. They traveled through the deep bush spotting wild animals along the way like gorillas, baboons, and water buffalo. During the early part of their journey, they would stop and find churches to sleep in but as they progressed further into the bush they would just rest where they were, trusting in God’s protection. The road was very rough and several times, they all fell into the muddy potholes. Undaunted, they kept on! The rice lasted five days, until they reached Nagero, a trading centre within the park. This is when God took over they say.

It was midday, there was nothing to eat but they stopped to rest. They heard a vehicle approaching. It stopped and the driver came out to talk to them. Samuele showed the man his letter from the DTS school leaders about what they were going to do in Arua and why, hoping to convince the man to take them with him. The driver was moving to a place called Ariwara, a three day trip by vehicle. The man said nothing, but they all slept there that night. The next day, Samuele prayed to God two things:

He reminded God, that He told them if they began this journey, He had promised to take over for them.

Then he asked God to allow the driver to take them.

After 10 minutes, the driver came over to them, told them to bring the bike and enter the vehicle. The driver had realized, this family were servants of God, and Samuele, being a mechanic, would prove useful along the way.

They set off for the three day journey with the driver, who also was kind enough to feed them during the trip. Another woman was also traveling in the vehicle with them. When they got to Ariwara, she welcomed them to her home and took care of them. Samuele and his family, exhausted, were planning to rest there for four days but the woman informed them that the vehicles going to Arua were leaving the next day! She gave them breakfast the next morning and took them to the taxi park were they boarded a vehicle for Arua. They used the reserve money they had with them for crossing the border and for transport to Arua. They left their well ridden bicycle behind and still do not know if they will find it on their return trip!

Finally, after 14 days, and having traveled a total of 1050 km, they arrived at their destination! Arua! The driver of their vehicle rang the base to inform them that their visitors had come! Though they had lost weight and were worn out from the journey, Samuele and Julienne were overjoyed when base staff came to pick them up. But God had not finished showing them His care and provision. They arrived to find two pastors also visiting the base who knew their language, Lingala, and could help them communicate in this very new environment. They believed God had sent them there to comfort them after a very long, unsure, and tiresome journey.

Now, a few weeks into the DTS, Samuele, Julienne and Veronique have gained weight back, have made many new friends, are learning some English and enjoying being the students they dreamed about being in the DTS! And they are thankful that God has also provided for them a translator so they can get everything they can from the teachings!

What an example of perseverance and desire for God! My prayer for this family is that they would grow and be transformed by God’s love during this school so they can return to Congo and be instruments of light and peace in a hostile and traumatized nation!

A Wee Tour of The Base

2008-04-22T17:45:00.003+03:00

The bridge on our property; symbolic of our vision to be a "bridge of healing" spiritually
Our bridge again
Our garden!
Offices and staff houses
Chickens!

Karibu!

2008-04-22T17:36:00.002+03:00

Well greetings to all our visitors! We are very excited to now have a blog which we hope will keep all of you up to date on our "goings on." We have only just begun, so check back frequently for stories, pictures, news etc. And leave comments! We would love to hear from you!

Asante!
The YWAM Arua Family